Affordable Housing

DATE CHANGE: Learn About Applying for Community Preservation Funds at Upcoming Workshops

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The date of one of the Community Preservation Act Application Workshops has been moved from Aug. 9 to Aug. 10. See the information below:

The first two projects to receive Community Preservation Act (CPA) funding were approved in 2022, and those seeking to submit their projects in the next round of funding can get information about the process at an upcoming CPA Application Workshop. CPA funds can be used in four areas: affordable housing, historic preservation, open space, and outdoor recreation.

Affordable Housing

Community Preservation Project Application Process Open for 2023

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The following information came from the the City of Watertown:

The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is accepting project applications for the FY 2023 funding round and will host application workshops on Aug. 3 and Aug. 9, 2022. Visit the CPC webpage for more information including: key dates, links to application instructions and application documents, or read How to Apply. Apply for CPA Funding – FY 2023

Key Dates

Application Workshops (morning and evening options): Aug.

Government

First Two Community Preservation Projects Approved; Will Rehabilitate Park, Restore Historic Paintings

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Designs for the improvements to Irving Park. The project was recommended by Community Preservation Committee for approval from the City Council, which did so on June 21. A park in Watertown will get a face lift and paintings in City Hall that are showing their age will be refurbished in the first two projects in Watertown approved to use money from the Community Preservation Act funds. On Tuesday night, the City Council unanimously approved the two projects recommended by the Community Preservation Committee. Community Preservation Committee Chair Mark Kraczkiewicz thanked the groups that brought forward the projects.

City Council

Council Holding Special Meeting on Creating Historic District, Changing Name of Delta & Community Preservation Projects

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Charlie BreitroseWatertown’s City Hall. Three items will be covered during a special City Council meeting next week: a petition to create a historic district on Main Street, a petition to change the name of the delta in Watertown Square, and to consider the recommended project from the Community Preservation Committee. The meeting will be held on Tuesday, June 21 at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chamber in Town Hall, 149 Main St. The name of the delta will discussed first, followed by the historic district proposal, and then the CPC projects. People can also participate in the meeting on Zoom.

Government

Help Shape Watertown’s Future by Taking Community Preservation Survey

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The following announcement was provided by the City of Watertown:

Help shape Watertown’s future in the areas of open space, community housing, outdoor recreation, and historic preservation. Learn about the first Watertown Community Preservation Act (CPA) projects to be recommended for funding in the process too. Please take a few minutes to complete our survey to inform the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) in updating the Community Preservation Plan. According to CPA law, we must hold a public hearing and prepare an annual update of the Preservation Plan—that means hearing from you. Take the survey –  Community Preservation FY 2021-22 Community Survey

Thanks in advance for your input.

Community Preservation Committee

See Proposals for Community Preservation Projects at Upcoming Forums

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City of WatertownOne of two historic paintings in Watertown’s City Hall. An application has been made to the Community Preservation Committee to repair and preserve the paintings. Three projects applying for funds from the City will make presentations to the Community Preservation Committee in coming weeks. They would be the first projects to receive money from the Community Preservation fund. The funds come out of the Community Preservation Fund, which was created after voters approved the Community Preservation Act in 2016.

Affordable Housing

UPDATED: Community Preservation Committee Seeking Applications for Potential Projects

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The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) seeks applications for potential projects to be funded by Watertown’s Community Preservations Act funds, and informational meetings have been scheduled for potential applicants. 

The money raised from a 2 percent surcharge on Watertown property tax bills can be spent on projects in four areas: open space, outdoor recreation, community housing, and historical preservation. As of June, the CPA Fund had nearly $9 million. 

The CPC takes applications and recommends which projects should receive funding, but it does not initiate, implement or manage projects. Community Preservation funds can be used for the following types of projects:

buy, create, preserve open space and rehabilitate and/or restore open space that is  acquired or created using CPA funds;acquire, preserve, rehabilitate, or restore historic resources;acquire, create, preserve, and support community housing; andacquire, create, preserve, and rehabilitate and/or restore passive and active outdoor recreation facilities. Projects can be done on public or private property, said Watertown Community Preservation Coordinator Lanae Handy, but the applicants must have permission. 

“If they are a local group interested in doing a project on town property they need to get the consent and support of the Town,” Handy said. “They can’t just apply for funds if they don’t have the approval of the Town.”

Similarly, applicants may have to get permits and approvals for other types of projects before getting funding. 

Town Departments can also apply for projects using CPA funds, Handy said, but they cannot be projects that already have approved funding.

Government

Watertown Community Preservation Plan Released, Committee Wants Public’s Reactions

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A shot of the cover of the Community Preservation Committee’s Draft Five Year Plan, released in late April. Watertown has several million dollars to spend on projects to acquire land for open space and outdoor recreation, create affordable housing and preserve the Town’s historic structures and resources. The Committee that will make recommendations on how to spend the money recently released a draft of the plan that will guide which projects will get funded. Last week, the Community Preservation Committee made the draft of a five-year plan available for the public to read (see it here). The Committee wants to know what Watertown residents think about the plan, and will host a meeting on May 20 at 7 p.m. to gather input.