2 North End Projects Could Get CPA Funding

NORTH END, MA - The mayor is recommending the city fund two projects worth nearly $2 million in the North End; one to turn the Knights of Columbus headquarters into affordable housing for seniors and the other to add sea level rise mitigation features to Langone Park.

The two North End projects are part of 56 projects worth $34 million that the City's Community Preservation Committee this week determined should be funded by earmarked Community Preservation Act money.

The CPA funds projects that have to do with affordable housing, historic preservation, open space and public recreation across the city.

The projects still have to be submitted to the Boston City Council for approval, but the mayor said he anticipated vote from the council in March, according to a release.

The two projects in the North End:

• $1,960,500 to the Knights of Columbus to reuse their headquarters to create 23 affordable apartments for seniors, including three units of housing for homeless seniors, and a neighborhood meeting space.
• $1,000,000 to add sea level rise mitigation features to Langone Park to prevent flooding and create a resilient waterfront as part of the City’s Resilient Boston Harbor and Climate Ready Downtown plans.

After the city adopted the CPA in November 2016, it created a Community Preservation Fund. This fund is capitalized primarily by a 1 percent property tax-based surcharge on residential and business property tax bills that began in July 2017. The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is tasked with studying community preservation needs and making recommendations on how CPA funds should be allocated. The CPC is made up of nine members, five of whom are representative of the City's boards and commissions and four of whom are appointed by the City Council. The funding of any project requires a recommendation from the committee and appropriation by the City.

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch Staff