Last week, Mayor Michelle Wu and the City of Boston Community Preservation Committee (CPC) announced their recommendation for the latest Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding round that includes funding for four Beacon Hill projects.
With 52 projects totaling $27 million recommended for funding this round, Wu recommended Beacon Hill receive approximately $716,000 for historic preservation and open space and recreation in the neighborhood.
“The Community Preservation Act helps us invest in our communities by empowering residents and local organizations to put funding to important priorities across our neighborhoods,” said Mayor Wu. “I am grateful to the Community Preservation Committee and all of the applicants for their commitment to expanding affordable housing, historic preservation and open space and recreation to benefit Bostonians across our city.”
If approved by the City Council, the four projects in Beacon Hill that will be funded through CPA money will be the Nichols House Museum, the Beacon House, the Vilna Shul and the Charles River Esplanade.
Three of the projects, the Nichols House Museum, the Beacon House, the Vilna Shul fall under the category of historic preservation while the Charles River Esplanade falls under the category of open space and recreation.
Wu recommended $72,400 go to the Nichols House Museum for exterior restoration of original features and shutter restoration of the women’s history museum.
Another $350,000 was recommended for the Beacon House for exterior masonry restoration of the affordable housing for 117 elders and people with disabilities.
Finally under historic preservation Wu recommended $275,000 for the restoration of the failed front plaza at the Shul, Boston’s Center for Jewish Culture.
Under open space and recreation Wu recommended $18,810 for a multi-year improvement project to plant approximately 50 trees on the Charles River Esplanade from 2022 to 2023.
“With appreciation to the CPA staff, the Boston CPC is pleased to recommend 52 projects to Mayor Wu for funding consideration by the City Council under the leadership of Michael Flaherty, Council Committee Chair,” said Felicia Jacques, Chair of Community Preservation Committee. “This recommendation fully commits over 50% of funds to housing with the remaining funds supporting 42 historic preservation and open space projects. These projects address a variety of uses and a bounty of worthy community projects spanning the city in virtually every neighborhood.”
The CPA’s Community Preservation Fund was created following voters’ passage and adoption of the Community Preservation Act in November 2016. It is funded by a 1 percent property tax-based surcharge on residential and business property tax bills, which took effect in July 2017, and an annual state funding from the Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund. The Mayor and Community Preservation Committee recommend funding use and the City Council must vote to approve.