With the adopted Community Preservation Act in 2022, the City created a special Community Preservation Fund. Financed by a 1.5 percent property tax surcharge and a state match, the City expects to raise over $4 million annually to fund locally-proposed projects related to community housing, recreation, open space and historic resources. This is an exciting opportunity for the Worcester community to pursue projects that may have otherwise not had a funding source.
The Community Preservation Committee, made up of Worcester residents, was formed in 2023 to oversee the application process and recommend projects to be funded through the Community Preservation Program. The Committee expects that the application will be open to the public in 2025.
In the meantime, the Committee is drafting criteria that will be used to assess project merit based on community priorities and funding availability in each of the realms of community housing, recreation, open space and historic resources. These criteria will be published in the Community Preservation Plan prior to the release of the funding application. There will be opportunity for the public to provide input on this process over the next months. Check back here for updates on opportunities to learn more and participate in the planning process.
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If you are interested in learning more about the Community Preservation Program, please reach out to the Community Preservation Manager, Jacquelyn Burmeister at burmeisterj@worcesterma.gov.
The Community Preservation Program is holding three public forums in December to get feedback from the community on how CPA funds should be spent. This forum is a great opportunity for residents to voice their opinions and help shape the future of our city. Join us to learn about how CPA works and the types of projects that are eligible for funding. Then share with us your thoughts on how we should prioritize projects here in Worcester. Click the links below to sign up for one of the forums:
