Community Preservation Program

About the Community Preservation Act (CPA)

The Community Preservation Act (Massachusetts General Laws chapter 44b) allows local communities to adopt a surcharge on property taxes and receive state matching funds for affordable housing, historic resources, open space and recreation land. The citizens of Newton adopted the CPA in 2001, the first possible year, with a 1% local surcharge.

The Act also specifies the types of work or activities that may be funded for each resource, to ensure that "community preservation funds [do] not replace existing operating funds, only augment them." For example, the CPA may not be used to fund routine maintenance.

Click on the links below to learn more.

Newton's Community Preservation Program

•	How much do you contribute to Newton's Community Preservation Fund?
•	What are Allowable Uses of Funds?
	The "allowable uses" chart above was adapted for Newton's CPA program from this basic chart published by the Massachusetts Dept. of Revenue.
•	Newton's CPA Ordinance covers appointments to Newton's Community Preservation Committee and the use of community preservation funds for City-owned properties.

The Community Preservation Act

•	Community Preservation Act - full text, showing 2012 revisions
•	Sources of Funds -- including how state matching funds are divided among all CPA communities
•	Required Allocation of Funds -- among affordable housing, historic resources, open space and recreation land
•	Community Preservation Coalition -- statewide nonprofit membership organization for CPA communities that provides technical support and conferences and supports local efforts to adopt the CPA. For the Coalition's non-binding summary and explanation of the CPA as amended in summer 2012, click on this link: http://www.communitypreservation.org/content/advocacy