Community Preservation Act (CPA) Information

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) was created by state law (MGL Chapter 44B). It allows cities and towns to adopt a property tax surcharge to help fund projects that preserve the character of the community. Springfield voters adopted the CPA on November 8, 2016 and it went into effect on July 1, 2017.

The CPA fund is created via a 1.5% surcharge on real estate taxes for residential, commercial, and industrial properties.  These charges first appeared on Fiscal Year 2018's 3^rd and 4^th quarter real estate bills. A statewide Community Preservation Act Trust Fund is also distributed to municipalities and is funded by Registry of Deeds fees.

Yes, households that qualify for low-income, or low or moderate-income housing, as defined by M.G.L. c. 44B, Section 2 are exempt from the CPA surcharge in its entirety.  The low-income exemption applies to property owners under the age of 60 and the moderate income exemption applies to property owners aged 60 years or older. The area wide median income is determined annually by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Click here to review the income limit guidelines for a CPA surcharge exemption

Click here for a Community Preservation Act Exemption application.  

(Note: The deadline for applications for exemptions is 4/1/21)

This revenue will be kept in a locally controlled fund that can help with:

• Acquisition, Creation, and Preservation of Open Space
• Rehabilitation or Restoration of Open Space acquired through the CPA
• Acquisition, Creation, Preservation, Rehabilitation, and Restoration of Recreational Land
• Acquisition, Preservation, Rehabilitation, and Restoration of Historic Resources
• Acquisition, Creation, Preservation, Support of Community Housing and Rehabilitation or Restoration of Community Housing acquired through the CPA 

Implementation and recommending projects to the City Council for funding of the CPA in Springfield is overseen by the City's 9-member Community Preservation Committee. Representatives are appointed from each of the departments below and three neighborhood appointees by the City Council President.

• LaMar Cook, Neighborhood representative;
• Gloria DeFillipo, Planning Board representative;
• Juanita Martinez, Conservation Commission representative;
• Robert McCarroll, Chair, Springfield Preservation Trust representative;
• Terry Mitchell, Neighborhood representative;
• David Finn, Historical Commission representative;
• Willie Thomas, Housing Authority representative;
• Terry Rodriguez, Park Commission representative
• Ralph Slate, Neighborhood representative

The Springfield Community Preservation Committee (CPC) meets on the first Tuesday each month. Due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the Committee will continue to meet remotely. Meetings are open to the public and can be viewed live or the next day. www.facebook.com/SpringfieldCommunityPreservationCommittee   

Some meetings were recorded by Focus Springfield and are available on the Community Preservation Committee playlist: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htJJMVRh8IE&list=PLolIYDZfz1YIh5SiXJXppYWJIVSmFt0X7 

For the meeting dates, times and agendas, please check the City Calendar.

A public speak out is held after each remote meeting. Send an email to cpc@springfieldcityhall.com at least 24 hours before the scheduled meeting (advance notice not necessary for live meetings). Comments mailed or sent electronically become part of the public record.

Covid-19 updates from the Mayor’s Office of Communication

• By email: cpc@springfieldcityhall.com
• By telephone 413-530-1268
• On Facebook: www.facebook.com/SpringfieldCommunityPreservationCommittee
• By mail: Community Preservation Committee, City Hall, 36 Court Street, Springfield MA 01103
• To reach the Administrative Consultant: klee@Springfieldcityhall.com

The Community Preservation Committee will conduct one funding round in 2021 as follows :

• Application Workshop - February 2
• Application Workshop - March 2
• Applications Due  - April 1
• Meeting with Applicants - April 6th, April 27th, & May 4th
  • Meetings begin at 6:00 pm and may be viewed here: www.facebook.com/SpringfieldCommunityPreservationCommittee
• Deliberations  - June & July
• Recommendations to City Council -  August       

Note: The CPC cannot predict the time for the City Council approval process.

• 2021 Application 
• 2021 Application Cover Sheet
• See the Additional Resources section at the bottom of this page for helpful guidance

If you missed the two application workshops, a PDF of the slide presentation is available. Send a request to cpc@springfieldcityhall.com. Alternatively, the workshops were recorded and can be viewed on the Committee's Facebook page.    

DUE TO COVID-19, THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO DELIVER APPLICATIONS:

1) Mail completed Applications (11 copies) to the Community Preservation Committee, Room 412, 36 Court Street, Springfield 01103.

2) Or, applications may be hand delivered to the back door of City Hall (North side of the building) on Pynchon Street. There is a temperature screening station when you enter the building. Look for a box labeled "CPA Applications" or ask the attendant. You may drop off applications 9:00 am -4:00 pm beginning Monday, March 29th through Thursday, April 1st. 

Remember to send a digital copy of the application to cpc@springfieldcityhall.com

For questions on the application process telephone 413-530-1268 or email Klee@springfieldcityhall.com

2020 CPC Funding Recommendations

2019 CPC Funding Recommendations

2018 CPC Funding Recommendations

To view an application submitted in 2018, 2019, or 2020 contact cpc@springfieldcityhall.com

City of Springfield 2020 Community Preservation Annual Meeting

City of Springfield Community Preservation Plan 2021

Department of Revenue (DOR) Community Preservation Fund Allowable Spending Chart

Community Preservation Act:http://www.communitypreservation.org/text-legislation

Community Preservation Ordinance:https://ecode360.com/32319903?highlight=community%20preservation%20committee#32319903

Community Preservation Coalition:http://www.communitypreservation.org/ 

Housing

Springfield and its Neighborhoods 2019 (Census Data)

https://www.springfield-ma.gov/planning/fileadmin/Planning_files/Springfield_and_its_Neighborhoods_4-8-19.pdf

Historic

Massachusetts State Historic Plan for 2018-2020

https://www.sec.state.ma.us/mhc/mhcpdf/statepresplan20182022webversion.pdf

Massachusetts Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) database (inventory) of surveyed properties compiled by Massachusetts Historic Commission (MHC) http://mhc-macris.net/

1939 Works Progress Administration (WPA) search local historic properties. https://www.springfieldpreservation.org/wpa/

The Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties https://www.nps.gov/tps/standards/treatment-guidelines-2017.pdf

Technical Preservation Services, U.S. Department of the Interior (see brief 17 for general preservation of architectural character).  https://www.nps.gov/tps/how-to-preserve/briefs.htm

Open Space, Recreation, Conservation

City of Springfield Open Space & Recovery Action Plan 2015–2022

https://www.springfield-ma.gov/planning/fileadmin/Planning_files/Open_Space_Plan/OpenSpace_DRAFT2015_KC.pdf