The Committee consist of nine members who are appointed by the City Manager. Five of the members shall be appointed as required by the Community Preservation Act. M.G.L. 44B; this includes, one member of the conservation commission, one member of the historical commission, one member of the planning board, one member of the board of park commissions and one member of the housing authority, along with four additional members.
The Community Preservation Act Committee shall study the needs, possibilities and resources of the City regarding community preservation. The Committee shall consult with existing municipal boards, including the Conservation Commission, the Historical Commission, the Planning Board, and the Housing Authority, in conducting such studies. As part of its study, the Committee shall hold one or more public informational hearings on the needs, possibilities and resources of the City regarding community preservation possibilities and resources.
A 3% surcharge is levied against your property tax amount, not the value of the property. For example, a CPA surcharge of 3 percent on a real property tax bill of $1,000 would be $30, or 3 percent of $1,000, per year. Note: the numbers below are provided as an illustration. Actual CPA surcharges depend on assessed values, tax rates, and residential exemptions, which are set on an annual basis.
1. Owner-Occupied Residential Property
Prop Value |
City Residential Exemption |
CPA Residential Exemption |
Tax Rate |
CPA Surcharge |
Calculation |
$1,000,000 |
$450,000 |
$100,000 |
$6.00/$1,000 |
$81.00 |
(Value - Res Exempt - CPA Res Exempt) x Tax Rate x 3% |
2. Residential Property, Not Owner-Occupied
Prop Value |
City Residential Exemption |
CPA Residential Exemption |
Tax Rate |
CPA Surcharge |
Calculation |
$1,000,000 |
N/A |
$100,000 |
$6.00/$1,000 |
$162.00 |
(Value - CPA Res Exempt) x Tax Rate x 3% |
3. Mixed-Use Property, Not Owner-Occupied
|
Prop Value |
City Res. Exemption |
CPA Res. Exemption |
Tax Rate |
CPA Surcharge |
Calculation |
Residential |
$750,000 |
N/A |
$100,000 |
$6.00/$1,000 |
$117.00 |
(Value - CPA Res Exempt) x Tax Rate x 3% |
Commercial |
$250,000 |
N/A |
N/A |
$10.50/$1,000 |
$78.75 |
Value x Comm. Tax Rate x 3%
|
Total |
$1,000,000 |
|
|
|
$195.00 |
|
4. Commercial Property
Prop Value |
City Residential Exemption |
CPA Residential Exemption |
Tax Rate |
CPA Surcharge |
Calculation |
$1,000,000 |
N/A |
N/A |
$10.50/1000 |
$315.00 |
Value x Comm. Tax Rate x 3% |
This chart defines the types of uses that meet CPA funding criteria under Affordable Housing, Historical Preservation and Open Space*.
* CPA funds can now be used to rehabilitate and restore land for recreational use.
* Section 5(b)2 "With respect to recreational use, the acquisition of artificial turf for athletic fields shall be prohibited.
|
Affordable Housing |
Historic Preservation |
Open Space |
Open Space (Recreation) |
Acquire |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
yes |
Create |
Yes |
- |
Yes |
Yes |
Preserve |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Support |
Yes |
- |
- |
- |
Rehabilitate and/or Restore |
Yes, if acquired or created with CPA funds |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds for affordable housing are allocated to the Cambridge Affordable Housing Trust and are used by the Trust to preserve or create affordable housing through financing:
- Preservation of affordable housing with expiring use restrictions
- Acquisition of existing buildings
- New construction and conversion of commercial, industrial and other non-residential buildings
- First-Time Home Buyer's Financial Assistance programs
- Revitalization of state-assisted Public Housing
View additional information about the City’s Affordable Housing Program
Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds can be used for preservation, rehabilitation and restoration of Open Space projects.
- Open Space, shall include, but not be limited to, land to protect existing and future well fields, aquifers and recharge areas, watershed land, agricultural land, grasslands, fields, forest land, fresh and salt water marshes and other wetlands, ocean, river, stream, lake and pond frontage, beaches, dunes and other coastal lands, lands to protect scenic vistas, land for wildlife or nature preserve and land for recreational use.
- CPA funds can now be used to rehabilitate and restore land for recreational use
Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds can be used for preservation, rehabilitation or restoration of eligible historic resources:
- A building, structure, real property, document or artifact that is listed on the state register of historic places.
- Determined by the local historic preservation commission to be significant in the history, archaeology, architecture or culture of a city or town.