CPC Funding Rec 12 Pleasant Ave SCLT FY25 — File 25-0049

COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDATION FOR Restoration of 12 Pleasant Ave – Elijah Walker House PROJECT DESCRIPTION The Somerville Community Land Trust (SCLT) requests CPA funds to contribute to the restoration of the Elijah Walker House located at 12 Pleasant Ave. Built in 1873, the building is historically significant and is located in Somerville’s Local Historic District. SCLT acquired the building in 2024 and plans significant rehabilitation and renovation with support from the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund to create six affordable housing units. CPA funds will be used for repairs of the building’s exterior and structural elements to ensure preservation of the building’s historic integrity. As this is a blended project that will create new affordable housing units, the CPC would like to commit a portion of its Budgeted Reserve funds under the category of Affordable Housing. This would increase the amount that the CPA program spends on affordable housing relative to historic preservation, ensure that any unused funds are returned to the Affordable Housing reserve, and ensure that CPA funds count toward the creation of these new affordable housing units. A description of the project and the elements of the scope that are to be classified under each category is provided in the Full Application materials. ELIGIBILITY Historic Resources: This project would preserve a historically significant building. Affordable Housing: The project will create new affordable housing units. RECOMMENDATION On December 11, 2024, by a vote of 7-1-0 with one abstention, the Community Preservation Committee recommended to City Council that the Somerville Community Land Trust be awarded $365,000 of Community Preservation Act funds, including $91,028 from the Historic Preservation Reserve and $273,972 from the Budgeted Reserve. The CPC further recommends that the blended project be classified as both historic preservation and affordable housing, with a portion of the above- mentioned Budgeted Reserve funds, $106,508, being counted toward Affordable Housing. FUNDING CONDITIONS  The Somerville Community Land Trust agrees to execute and record a perpetual preservation restriction on its property, the Elijah Walker House at 12 Pleasant Ave.  Affordability restrictions on at least 30% of the units will be put in place in coordination with the Affordable Housing Trust. The full proposal is available at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vhpwZqBqoufKifHgm3nD3wStUlu0rmFC/view?usp=drive_link KATJANA BALLANTYNE MAYOR CITY OF SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE