Boston City Council CPA Committee Hearing on FY26 Funding and FY27 Budget – April 21, 2026
Boston City Council CPA Committee Hearing on FY26 Funding and FY27 Budget – April 21, 2026
On April 21, 2026, the Boston City Council Committee on Community Preservation Act (CPA), chaired by Councilor Enrique Peppen (District 5), held a hearing on Docket 0569 (appropriation of $32.6 million from FY26 Community Preservation Fund revenues for 45 recommended projects) and Docket 0758 (appropriation of $1,763,090 for FY27 administrative expenses and $39,587,798 in estimated FY27 revenues to be reserved). The hearing featured presentations from CPA Director Thadine Brown and Christina Keith, Director of the Neighborhood Housing Division, followed by council questions and public testimony from 15 individuals.
Public Comments & Testimony
- Toy Burton (Founder, Didi’s Cry) urged the city to intentionally support the suicide loss community and fund the proposed Danita Morris Memorial Hope Park in Roxbury, emphasizing the need for visible healing spaces.
- Deb Morris (Hebrew Senior Life) thanked the city for CPA support for a 78-unit affordable supportive housing community for older adults in Roslindale, calling the investment critical to project feasibility.
- Jeffrey Gonyam (Dorchester resident, preservation consultant) praised CPA staff for their hands-on approach and highlighted the scarcity of historic preservation funding before CPA, advocating for maintaining at least 25% of CPA funds for historic preservation.
- Elizabeth King and Jean Clark (Brighton-Allston Congregational Church) spoke in favor of funding for steeple and exterior repairs, noting the church’s role as a community hub with a food pantry and green space.
- Gabriel Courier (First Asian Baptist Church of Boston) expressed gratitude for CPA funding that prevented the collapse of the church’s west wall, ensuring safety for the congregation and neighbors.
- Bridget Wallace (Founder, G Code) supported CPA funding for the G Code House, a historic preservation project that will provide living and learning space for women from marginalized communities to access tech careers.
- Robert Bonner (Brighton resident, food pantry volunteer) thanked the council for funding the Brighton church restoration after three applications, enabling continued service to hundreds.
- Kyle Roberts (Executive Director, Congregational Library and Archives) testified in support of a project to process and digitize rare historical records from the City Mission Society and Seafarers Friends Society, making them freely accessible online.
- Reggie Jean-Pancan (Executive Director, Haley House) supported funding for roof and chimney repairs at 23 Dartmouth Street, a historic building housing 110 units of affordable housing and a soup kitchen, warning of water damage threats.
- Nancy Lowe (Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association) testified for an open space grant to create a small park at the former girls’ entrance in Chinatown, which will provide recreational area and reduce urban heat.
- Reverend Courtney Jones (Hope Central Church, Jamaica Plain) spoke in favor of funding for an ADA-compliant ramp, stating that the church’s building had been a burden but now enables community justice work, and that the ramp will make the space accessible to all.
- Jeremy Vieira (Rogerson Communities) emphasized that CPA funds are essential for building affordable senior housing with memory care, noting that the project would not be feasible without CPA.
- Reverend John Odoms (First Baptist Church of Boston) thanked the CPA staff and committee for recommending the church’s historic preservation grant and requested council approval.
Discussion Items
- Presentation and Overview: Thadine Brown presented the FY26 funding round, noting 84 applications totaling over $45 million in requests, with 45 projects recommended for $32.6 million. She highlighted that 50% of funds go to affordable housing, 25% to historic preservation, and 25% to open space/recreation. The FY27 budget projects $39.59 million in available funding, a $4.35 million increase from FY26, primarily due to increased surcharge revenue. She also reported that 217 projects (55.5%) are in neighborhoods where over 65% of households earn below the area median income, and 157 projects (40%) are in neighborhoods where over 65% identify as people of color.
- Councilor Flynn praised the CPA team’s professionalism and outreach to unsuccessful applicants, noting that staff provide detailed feedback and encourage reapplication. He highlighted the program’s unifying effect on residents.
- Councilor Cole Pepper asked about senior housing, noting the loss of the federal 2028/2811 program. Christina Keith explained that $4 million is set aside annually for senior housing under CPA, and that FY26 saw strong senior housing applications (close to $12 million). He also inquired about the One+ Boston Home Buyer program interest rate buy-down; Keith clarified that the average interest rate is about 6%, and the program can reduce it by 1%, plus up to $50,000 in down payment assistance.
- Councilor Fitzgerald asked about coupling CPA funds with state projects (e.g., DCR). Brown confirmed that state agencies can apply, and CPA funds typically cover exterior work, requiring a 15-year MOU for site control. He also asked about adjusting the 50/25/25 allocation; Brown noted the committee can change percentages each round as long as each category gets at least 10%.
- Council President Braden emphasized the need for family housing with two- and three-bedroom units. Keith agreed, noting that family housing is a growing priority. Braden commented on the rolling eligibility form for FY27, which opened in November 2025, with the first information session set for May 6, 2026.
- Councilor Weber asked about project size for affordable housing: Keith said 25–100 units is typical for tax credit viability. Weber also asked about advice for unsuccessful applicants; Brown reiterated that staff discuss concerns and encourage reapplication, with the rolling eligibility form available year-round.
- Councilor Coyota Zapata thanked the team for assistance with the McLean Playground retaining wall (funded at $198,000) and asked about future funding trends. Brown estimated that annual funding would remain around $38–40 million, depending on state match and surcharge. Zapata also inquired about using historic preservation funds for ADA accessibility at churches; Brown stated that CPA funds can support exterior ADA improvements, but not interior work, and offered to connect applicants with other funding sources.
- Councilor Peppen (Chair) asked about the timeline for open space/recreation projects: Brown said 24 months, with possible 12-month extensions. For affordable housing, projects have five years. He also asked about the Riverside Theater Building’s indoor ADA needs; Brown reiterated that CPA does not fund interior spaces but can provide referrals.
- Councilor Cole Pepper (follow-up) asked about the JM Goldson equity analysis. Brown clarified that the analysis is used to report how CPA funds are distributed across neighborhoods, not to determine funding decisions. The nine-member Community Preservation Committee evaluates projects based on readiness, scope, need, and equity, using an evaluation sheet that can be shared.
Key Outcomes
- No formal votes were taken during the hearing. The committee heard presentations and public testimony in preparation for a future council vote to approve the FY26 appropriations and FY27 budget.
- The CPA staff will continue to accept rolling eligibility forms for FY27 funding until August 30, 2026, with the first information session on May 6, 2026.
- Councilor Peppen indicated he would introduce the dockets for a vote at the next council meeting.
- The committee will transmit the recommended slate of 45 projects to the full City Council for approval.
Meeting Transcript
For the record, my name is Enrique Peppen, District Five City Councilor, and I'm the chair of the Boston City Council Committee on Community Preservation Act. Today is April twenty first, two thousand twenty-six.gov slash city dash council dash TV and broadcast on Xfinity Channel Eight, R C N Channel Eighty Two and Files Channel Nine Six Four.cpa at Boston.gov and will be made a part of the record and available to all counselors. Public testimony will be taken at the end of this hearing. Individuals will be called on in the order in which they signed up and will have two minutes to testify. If you're interested in testifying in person, please add your name to the sign-up sheet near the entrance of the chamber. If you are looking to testify virtually, please email our central staff liaison Karishma at K A R I C S H M A C H O U H A N at Boston.gov for the link and your name will be added to the list. Today's hearing is on docket number 0569. Message in order approved an appropriation of 32 million six hundred thousand dollars from fiscal year 2026 Community Preservation Fund revenues for community preservation projects at the recommendation of the City of Boston Community Preservation Committee. The upcoming projects will aim to improve the quality of life across Boston neighborhoods. Plans include renovating playgrounds and enhancing or creating recreational spaces such as parks, community gardens, and urban farms. In addition, these projects will plant trees to grow the city's tree canopy, preserve historic buildings and artifacts, support program for affordable first-time home buyers, and construct new affordable housing units for residents. Together, these efforts are expected to deliver a meaningful and lasting positive impact on Boston's neighborhoods and communities. Docket number 058, 0758, message in order approved in an appropriation order in the amount of 1,763,090 for the administrative and operating expenses of the City of Boston Community Preservation Committee for fiscal year 2027. And a further appropriation order in the amount of 39,587,798 from the community preservation funds, estimated annual revenues for the fiscal year 2027 to be appropriated and reserved for future appropriation. These matters were sponsored by Mayor Michelle Wu and referred to the committee on March 18th, 2026. Docket number 0569 and on April 8th, 2026 for docket number 0758. So far, I've been joined by my colleagues in order of arrival, Councilor Flynn, Councillor Culpepper, Councillor Fitzgerald, and Council President Braden. I um like to welcome everyone to my favorite hearing of the year. Um it's an honor for me to be the chair of this committee. Honestly, just being able to see the amazing applications and groups and organizations that applied for CPA funding and seeing some in person here fills me nothing but with joy. Um the fact that we get to potentially fund so many great just projects across the city and all of our neighborhoods. So just wanted to thank you. I'm very much a fan of this, so thank you for also for providing this to all of our all of us here on the council. And what I would love to do is I'm going to pass it over to you to do a quick introduction to do your presentation. I'll kick it off to my colleagues for some QA, and then we will hear from our amazing community members later on. So Dean, the floor is yours. Thank you. My name is Thadine Brown, and I'm the director for the community preservation office. Good afternoon. My name is Christina Keith. I'm the director of the neighborhood housing division at the mayor's office of housing. So thank you all for having me and uh the CPA team today. Um, for the past eight years, I've been working with the CPA office and I've overseen all nine funding rounds, and it has been a privilege and a pleasure to support the residents of Boston. I would like to express my gratitude to the dedicated uh community preservation committee. Each funding round requires thoughtful deliberation, um, difficult decisions, and we deeply appreciate them their unwavering commitment to this highly competitive process. I also want to extend my appreciation to the CPA staff over here, Rakia Islam, Gillian Lang, Elizabeth Sanchez, Lauren Hahn, Liz Cook, and Simone Pope. The dedication and professionalism and care they bring to these roles every day are essential not only to the success of this year's funding round, but to how we run the CPA office on a daily basis. I'm grateful for the dedication they bring to this work. I would also like to thank the CFO and the City Treasurer for their leadership, along with all the city departments that continue to be valuable partners in this work. I will take the next 20 minutes to provide a detailed overview of the CPA process and the FY26 funding round, introduce the slate of 45 projects recommended for funding this year, and do a brief overview of the FY27 budget. And happy to address any questions. And Director O'Keefe will respond to any specific questions on the affordable housing projects. And so this first slide highlights the breakdown of funding allocation for FY26, which was a total of 32.6 million dollars. There was no reverted funds reallocated to the FY26 funding round. The committee allocated 50% of funding to affordable housing, 25% to historic preservation, and 25% to open space and recreation. For those who may not be familiar with Community Preservation Act, these next upcoming slides will give you a brief overview. So each year, 10% of funds must be allocated to each category historic preservation, affordable housing, and open space and recreation. Additionally, up to 5% may be spent on administrative cost. CPA funds are strictly limited to capital projects. CPA funds cannot support maintenance operations or programming.
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