On November 8, 2022, the voters of the City of Worcester approved the adoption of Question 5 - Worcester Community Preservation Act. This vote accepted Chapter 44B of the Massachusetts General Laws, Sections 3 to 7, known as the Community Preservation Act (CPA), which establishes a fund dedicated to the acquisition, creation, preservation and support of community housing, parks and recreational uses and historic buildings and resources. By the terms of this public vote, the CPA fund will be supported by a 1.5% surcharge on the annual property tax assessed on real estate in Worcester beginning in fiscal year 2024, and by annual distributions from a state trust fund created by the CPA. The specific allocation and use of these dollars for their stated purposes will be overseen by the Community Preservation Committee.
The first year of implementation of the surcharge was Fiscal Year 2024, which ran from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. This full FY24 obligation was divided between two bills: the 3rd Quarter (issued December 29, 2023) and 4th Quarter (issued March 29, 2024) bills. Taxpayers saw the first CPA surcharge bill included in their property tax bill envelope received by mail in January 2024. For the current fiscal year, Fiscal Year 25, taxpayers can expect to see their CPA Surcharge bills around the same time: in the 3rd Quarter (issued December 31, 2024) and 4th Quarter (issued March 31, 2025) bills. In future fiscal years, this surcharge will be incorporated into each quarterly tax bill. For now, however, it is important that both bills (the real estate property tax bill and the Community Preservation Act surcharge) are paid in full as failure to pay the CPA results in the same interest, fees and other penalties as failure to pay property taxes. If you generally pay your local taxes through an escrow with your mortgage company, check to ensure that they have included CPA in their payment.
Under the terms of the vote, the following will be exempt from the surcharge: (1) property owned and occupied as a domicile by any person who qualifies for low-income housing or low- or moderate-income senior housing; (2) $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of residential property; and (3) $100,000 of the value of each taxable parcel of class three - commercial property - and class four - industrial property.
Disclaimer: Information displayed is an estimate only based on current tax rate and valuation factors. Exact figures/amounts will be noted in actual tax bills. Additionally, mixed-use properties (e.g., residential and commercial combined) will not calculate correctly in the below calculator as they require adjustment based on the percentage of use/value.
PLEASE NOTE: The first year of implementation of the surcharge was Fiscal Year 2024, which ran from July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024. This full FY24 obligation was divided between two bills: the 3rd Quarter (issued December 29, 2023) and 4th Quarter (issued March 29, 2024) bills. Therefore, taxpayers should have seen the first CPA surcharge bill included in their property tax bill envelope received by mail in January 2024. The two bills received for FY 2024 are for the entire Fiscal Year, so as a general guide, the total amount would be divided into quarters, not halves, in future fiscal years. However, for the current fiscal year, Fiscal Year 25, taxpayers can expect to see their CPA Surcharge bills around the same time: in the 3rd Quarter (issued December 31, 2024) and 4th Quarter (issued March 31, 2025) bills. In future fiscal years, this surcharge will be incorporated into each quarterly tax bill. For now, however, it is important that both bills (the real estate property tax bill and the Community Preservation Act surcharge) are paid in full as failure to pay the CPA results in the same interest, fees and other penalties as failure to pay property taxes.
Individuals that are seeking an exemption from the CPA Surcharge must meet the minimum eligibility requirements being:
CPA Surcharge Abatement Application
January 1, 2024.
Yes.
A Community Preservation Committee is appointed that makes recommendations to the City Manager and City Council.
The Committee includes, by statute:
Projects related to Open Space, Recreation, Historic Resources and Community Housing may be eligible for funding. To learn more about project eligibility and the application process, see the Community Preservation Program webpage.
The Community Preservation Committee is in the process of creating project eligibility criteria and a funding application and predicts applications to be open in 2025. To learn more about their process and how provide your input, check out the Community Preservation Program webpage.
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