PUBLIC INVITED TO SHAPE PLANS FOR COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT FUNDING

SOMERVILLE

– Want to help determine how the City of Somerville should spend at least $1.5

million on affordable housing, open space, outdoor recreation and historic

preservation projects? The Somerville Community

Preservation Committee will gather public feedback at two public hearings

in May that will assist in finalizing the criteria the Committee uses to

determine which projects are recommended for funding through the Community

Preservation Act (CPA).

Residents are invited to learn about the CPA and offer their

input to the Committee at the hearings, which will take place on Wednesday, May

7, in the West

Somerville Neighborhood School cafeteria, 177 Powder House Boulevard, and Monday,

May 12, in the East

Somerville Community School cafeteria, 50 Cross St. Those unable to attend

either meeting may also submit written comments through May 31 by email to emonea@somervillema.gov or by mail to

Emily Monea, SomerStat, 93 Highland Ave., Somerville, MA 02143.

At each hearing, the Committee will present its draft

priorities for CPA-funded projects, such as preserving expiring-use affordable

homes and expanding access to and use of the Mystic River and Alewife Brook

corridors. These draft priorities are based on the City’s comprehensive SomerVision plan, Housing

Needs Assessment, Open

Space and Recreation Plan and other current planning documents, including

the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s “Dimensions

of Displacement” report.

The Committee will then listen to the public and use the

feedback from both hearings to finalize the priorities, which will guide the

Committee’s decisions about which projects it will recommend to the Board of

Aldermen for funding through the CPA. Once the prioritization plan is

finalized, the Committee will begin the application process for receiving CPA

funding, which is open to all. Residents will also have the opportunity to

provide feedback on eligible project proposals once all applications are submitted.

Somerville voters overwhelming approved adopting the CPA in

November 2012, which will raise at least $1.5 million in funding annually via a

property tax surcharge and state matching funds for affordable housing, open

space, outdoor recreation and historic preservation. In November 2013, an unprecedented

open and transparent process yielded four appointees for the public

positions on the Community Preservation Committee, submitted by Mayor Joseph A.

Curtatone and approved by the Board of Aldermen.

The

Committee members are public members Elizabeth Duclos-Orsello, Ezra Glenn, Courtney

Koslow and Uma Murugan; and ex officio members Michael A. Capuano of the Planning

Board, chairman; Dick Bauer of the Historic Preservation Commission, vice

chairman; Tanya Cafarella of the Somerville Housing Authority; Michael Fager of

the Conservation Commission; and City Parks and Open Space Director Arn

Franzen. Committee members serve three-year terms, but initial appointments to

the committee have been staggered.

For

more information on the CPA, visit the City’s website at www.somervillema.gov/CPA. Please

contact Emily Monea at 617-625-6600 x2118 or emonea@somervillema.gov with comments

or questions.