New Bedford Community Preservation Committee recommends 16 projects for FY22 funding

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The City of New Bedford’s Community Preservation Committee has voted to recommend 16 projects to the New Bedford City Council for a total of $1.6 million in FY22 funding through the Community Preservation Act (CPA).

The recommended CPA funding would support projects in areas including affordable housing, outdoor recreational facilities, and historic preservation.

The committee received 17 applications during the FY22 CPA application cycle, seeking a total of just over $2 million. In deciding how to allocate the $1.6 million in available CPA funds, the committee weighed priorities in the FY22 Community Preservation Plan, whether the proposals could achieve full or partial funding through CPA support, and which proposals best met CPA criteria. One application did not meet criteria and has been invited to reapply during the FY23 application cycle.

The committee has submitted the FY22 CPA Funding Recommendations to the City Council, to be placed on its March 10 agenda. The City Council has the final authority to award CPA funds and approve projects as recommended, approve projects at reduced funding levels, or reject projects. Should the City Council vote to reject or reduce funding for a recommended project, the committee will have an opportunity to respond and/or to adjust the project’s scope or terms prior to a final decision by the City Council.

Here are the projects recommended for FY22 CPA funding:

Affordable Housing

• Holy Family High School Adaptive Re-Use Project $175,000
• Temple Landing II $93,600

Historic Preservation

• Cliftex II $86,000
• Digitization of Maritime Records Phase II $14,000
• Digitization of Milton Silvia Negative Collection Part II $20,000
• First Baptist Church Preservation Project $108,000
• Gallery X Exterior Painting $86,000
• George Washington Portrait Conservation $26,000
• James Arnold Mansion Roof Final Phase $100,000
• LGBTQ+ Community Center Handicap Access $200,000
• New Bedford Whaling Museum Bourne Building Masonry Repairs $187,500
• Rotch Jones Duff House Masonry Repairs $142,900
• Strand Theater Restoration $300,000
• Thomas Department Store Envelope Assessment $15,000

Outdoor Recreational Facilities

• Brooklawn Skate Park Design $22,000
• City Wide Signage for Parks $24,000

For more information on the CPA program and the FY22 projects, visit: http://www.newbedford-ma.gov/planning/community-preservation/

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Background on the Community Preservation Act

New Bedford voters adopted the Community Preservation Act (CPA) through a ballot question in November 2014. The statewide enabling legislation allows communities to create dedicated funding for projects that support open space, outdoor recreational facilities, historic preservation, and affordable housing activities in the city.

Oversight of this process rests with the Community Preservation Committee, the body established by the City to oversee the CPA program in New Bedford.

Since FY18, the committee has recommended, and the City Council has approved, 65 grants totaling over $6.8 million in CPA funding for projects that have preserved historic resources and open space, created community housing opportunities, and both improved and created recreational facilities throughout the city. In addition, these grants have enabled organizations to leverage an additional $6.9 million in funding from other sources, such as state and federal funds and private foundations.

About Michael Silvia

Served 20 years in the United States Air Force. Owner of New Bedford Guide.

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