Matters ▸ Attachment
Final Fall Report FY24 — File 24-0052
November 1, 2023
1
Somerville Community Preservation Act Program
FY24 Fall Report
Available Funds
The funds available for FY24 are based on the estimated revenue from the local CPA property tax
surcharge and the projected state match of the prior year’s local revenue, which is typically received in
the late fall. Estimated funds were appropriated in June, and placed into the program area reserve
accounts following the funding distribution determined by the Community Preservation Committee.
Table 1: FY24 CPA Revenue As Appropriated
CPP Share of FY24 Budgeted
Revenue
Debt Service
Total Available
Open Space/Rec Reserve
20%
$656,743
$‐
$656,743
Historic Resources Reserve
15%
$492,557
$(130,144)
$362,413
Community Housing Reserve
50%
$1,641,857
$(311,500)
$1,330,357
Budgeted Reserve
10%
$328,370
$‐
$328,370
Admin
5%
$164,186
$ ‐
Total
$3,283,713
$(441,644)
$2,677,883
Undesignated Fund Balance
CPA funds that have not been appropriated to the above categories are held in the Undesignated Fund
Balance, where they are carried forward if not appropriated and spent. Revenue estimates used in
budgeting are typically conservative, so that the actual revenue received over the fiscal year is greater
than the estimated revenue that was appropriated in the spring. This unappropriated revenue remains
in the Undesignated Fund Balance. Unused Administrative Funds and Budgeted Reserve funds are also
returned each year to the
Undesignated Fund Balance.
Table 2 shows the funds that were
added to the Undesignated Fund
Balance in FY23. Additional FY23
Income includes surplus assessment
revenue and other miscellaneous
local revenues totaling $97,282.
However, an overestimate of the
state match in the FY23 budget
brought the net unappropriated
revenue to $60,997. Revenues that
are not appropriated before
Table 2: FY23 Additions to Undesignated Fund Balance
Funding Source
Amount
Assessment revenue difference
$52,178
Tax title redeemed (liens)
$4,840
Tax title interest
$1,478
CPA interest
$6,262
Investment income (CPA)
$32,524
(Overestimated) State Match
($36,285)
Unappropriated FY23 Revenue
$60,997
Unspent FY23 Administrative Funds
$90,213
Unspent Budgeted Reserve Funds
$0
Total Added to Undesignated Fund Balance FY23
$151,210
November 1, 2023
2
Open Space/Rec
Reserve
$656,743
Historic
Reserve
$362,413
Adjusted Community
Housing Reserve
$1,405,962
Budgeted
Reserve
$328,370
Figure 1: FY24 Current Year Program Funds Available
December 1 remain in the Undesignated Fund Balance and cannot be used until they are certified the
following fiscal year.
The Budgeted Reserve funds were entirely spent on projects in the FY23 funding round. However,
$90,213 in unspent Administrative funds were returned to the Undesignated Fund Balance.
The Undesignated Fund Balance may be carried over from year to year or spent on eligible projects in
any of the three program areas. Table 3 shows projects that were funded in FY23 by drawing from the
Undesignated Funds Balance, which had a total of $1,748,605 at the start of FY23.
Table 3: FY23 Expenditures from Undesignated Fund Balance
Project
Undesignated
Fund Grant
SHA4CD / Grace Baptist Church (portion of $425,000 total grant)
$230,000
Somerville Museum – Collection Storage Renovation (Off‐cycle added to FY22 grant)
$100,000
Vida Real / 404 Broadway – Bell Tower Restoration (Off‐cycle added to FY21 grant)
$80,000
Cascap / 181 Broadway – Exterior Renovations (Off‐cycle added to FY21 grant)
$60,155
Total Undesignated Fund Expenditure in FY23
$470,155
Adjusted Housing Appropriation
As long as a minimum of 10% of each year’s revenue is spent in each program area, the CPC has
discretion to use funds carried over in the Undesignated Fund Balance in any program area on an as‐
needed basis. Since the CPC has delegated to the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust the
management of funds for Community Housing, the transfer of funds from the Undesignated Fund
Balance to match the annual Community Housing distribution of unappropriated funds from the prior
fiscal year will maintain the intended share of distribution to Housing.
Table 4: Affordable Housing Trust Adjusted Appropriation
Amount
Additional
FY23 UFB
Recommended
Adjustment
FY24 initial Housing reserve
$1,641,857
Transfer from Undesignated to Housing Reserve
$75,605
$151,210
50%
Debt service
($311,500)
Recommended Housing Trust Appropriation
$1,405,962
With the adjustment for Community Housing, Figure 1 represents the total current year program funds
available in FY24.
Total: $2,753,488
November 1, 2023
3
Funds Carried Over from Prior Years
In addition to the current year revenues, Somerville’s CPA program has funds carried over from
previous years, both in the program area reserves and in the Undesignated Fund Balance. At the CPC’s
discretion, some of the carried‐over funds may be made available for current year funding round
projects, off‐cycle applications, or may continue to be carried over for future use. (Carried‐over funds
cannot be used for Administration.) Maintaining a balance in the Undesignated Fund has allowed the
CPC flexibility to manage cash flow and to accommodate unforeseen circumstances.
Program area funds are carried over in the program area reserve if they are not committed in the fiscal
year in which they were budgeted. Funds are also returned to the program area from which they were
originally appropriated after a project closes out under budget or is cancelled. Funds that are returned
to program area reserves are immediately available to recommend for other projects.
The Undesignated Fund Balance is the remainder of CPA funds that are not in the five “buckets” that
are appropriated in the CPA budget. Money may also be added to the Undesignated Fund Balance in
the following ways: 1) as mentioned above, any additional revenues that have not been appropriated
into the program area reserves remain in the Undesignated Fund Balance; and 2) unspent
Administrative funds and Budgeted Reserve funds are transferred to the Undesignated Fund Balance at
the end of each fiscal year.
Table 5 shows the funds that have been carried over from prior years. One project, Art Farm, was
previously recommended by the CPC in FY19 and again in FY23 has yet to be approved by City Council,
as the construction of a new park is tied to a larger infrastructure project which was delayed to conduct
additional planning and coordination. The funds to cover this appropriation must continue to be held in
reserve assuming that City Council will eventually approve
the recommended CPA grant. The CPC also recommended
funding for restoration of the Adams Magoun House in
FY23, which has not yet been submitted to City Council as
we are working on developing legal documentation to
inform the decision.
Table 6: Funds Carried Over from Prior Years
Undesignated
Fund Balance
Open Space/
Recreation
Reserve
Historic
Preservation
Reserve
Funds carried over into FY24
$1,446,146
$491,870
$31,000
Funds recently returned after project closeouts
$2,165
$150,000
Committed to Art Farm
$(174,776)
$(367,899)
Committed to Adams‐Magoun House
$(150,000)
FY24 Housing Adjustment
$(75,605)
Available Undesignated Funds
$1,045,765
$126,136
$181,000
Table 5: Art Farm Recommendation
OS/R Reserve
$367,899
Undesignated
$174,776
To be Bonded
$457,325
Total
$1,000,000
November 1, 2023
4
Project Updates
The following projects funded in previous grants are currently in progress:
Site
Funding
Year
Status
Somerville Museum
FY22
Construction nearly completion
Somerville Museum
FY23
Paintings in progress; Bullfinch staircase
was delayed by vendor, anticipated to start
summer 2024; Funds have been exhausted
for collection care, which will likely be
paused to wait for additional funding.
Somerville Hispanic Association for
Community Development
FY 21, 22,
23
Working with vendors, preparing to initiate
work from the three grants combined
Elizabeth Peabody House
FY22
Structural design is nearly completed
Elizabeth Peabody House
FY23
Preparing to retain contractor
Mudflat Studio
FY23
Engineering study completed
Broadway House
FY21
Construction nearing completion
Broadway Winter Hill Congregational
Church Bell Tower
FY21
Will resume construction in spring 2024
Blessing of the Bay Meadow
FY18
Nearly complete – monitoring plantings
Blessing of the Bay Linear Park Design
FY23
Starting design
Henry Hansen Park
FY17, 23, 24
Going out to bid for construction
Glen Street Park Community Garden
FY22
Under construction (?)
Dilboy Auxiliary Fields Design
FY18
Design nearly completed
Brown & Healey School Yards
Construction
FY24
Punch list items to be completed in spring
217 Somerville Ave
FY20, 21
Design in progress
Somerville Junction Park
FY22
Under construction
Kennedy Schoolyard
FY19
Anticipated to start with FY24 grant
In addition, CPA funds have been reserved for future use for projects or purposes which have not yet
been implemented:
Purpose / Amount Held
Funding
Year
Status
Richardson Street Open Space Acquisition /
$210,000
FY18
Evaluating whether to proceed or cancel the
project
Open Space Land Acquisition Fund /
$500,000
FY20,
21, 22
Awaiting opportunity
Land Acquisition Study Fund / $40,000
FY17
Can support due diligence for OS
Acquisition opportunities
Art Farm / $542,675
FY19
Awaiting City Council approval
The following projects have been completed, cancelled, or closed out within the past year. Some of the
projects were completed under budget, in which case the CPA funds are returned to the reserve from
which they were originally awarded. In some cases the return of funds has yet to be processed.
November 1, 2023
5
Purpose
Funding Year
Funds Returned
Central Hill Playground
FY20, 21
TBD
Healey Schoolyard design and tot lot
FY17, 21
$2,165 / TBD
WSNS and Brown Schoolyard Design
FY18
TBD
Morse Kelley Pollinator Garden
FY17
$1,424
LHD Property Owner Small Grant Program
FY18
$150,000
Mission Church, Highland Ave
FY16
$1,312
A full list and status report of the projects funded in all of the previous CPA grants is provided in
Appendix 1.
Off‐Cycle Applications
Somerville’s Community Preservation Committee occasionally receives applications for funds outside
of the regular application cycle, when there is some emergency or extraordinary request which cannot
wait until the regular application cycle is completed. Since the start of 2024, five off‐cycle applications
have been funded out of the FY24 program area reserves. Some of the grants were to expand the
budgets of projects that the CPC previously supported due to unforeseen change‐orders or escalating
construction costs. These include two requests from the Somerville Museum totaling $165,531 to
expand the budget for the FY22 CPA grant to renovate the basement collection storage space, and a
grant of $411,776 to expand the budget of Henry Hanson Park before it is put out to bid. A grant of
$97,000 for Brown School construction expanded the budget for a project that was otherwise paid for
via other sources. Finally, the CPC made an early recommendation to grant $113,440 to Just‐A‐Start for
restoration of a historic window as part of an affordable housing development so that the CPA funding
commitment could be included in an application to another funding source. Before making these
recommendations out of the current funding year, the CPC reviewed the total estimated funding
requests and the revenue budgeted for FY24.
Potential Off‐cycle Applications in FY23
As has happened in prior years, a likely source for off‐cycle applications is ongoing CPA‐funded
construction projects which encounter inflation or unanticipated change‐orders. Construction projects
ought to have included contingencies to account for inflation and unforeseen problems, however, an
unprecedented rate of cost increases for construction have resulted in many projects going substantially
over budget. Grantees are encouraged to seek additional sources of funding, but CPA may yet be the
most accessible option to enable projects to be completed. (Projects that primarily entail planning are
more likely to be able to be completed within the fixed budget that was originally granted.)
Ongoing construction projects for which cost over‐runs could generate the need for additional
funding:
Junction Park – Construction is underway using grants totaling $500,000 from FY22 and 23,
combined with CDBG and ARPA.
Elizabeth Peabody House – Construction is anticipated to start using the FY23 grant of
$300,000 to restore the windows and other exterior features.
Glen Street Community Garden – Construction is underway using the grant of $210,000 from
FY22 combined with CDBG.
November 1, 2023
6
The following ongoing construction projects are less likely to generate off‐cycle applications.
Grace Baptist Church – Construction is in progress under two grants from FY 21, FY22, and
FY23 for a total of $968,611, which cover many different project segments.
Henry Hansen Park is going out to bid with CPA grants for construction from FY23 and FY24
totaling $761,776, combined with a PARC grant.
Vida Real/Winter Hill Congregational Church – Construction to resume with same contractor
who provided a revised budget of $170,000 awarded in FY21 and 23 combined.
CPA Project Status ‐ December 4, 2023
Project Location
Project Name
Category
Year
CPA Funds
Status
Project comments
93 Highland Ave
City Hall Renovation
Historic Preservation
FY15
200,000
$
Complete
Funds were repurposed for design of complex.
42 Cross St
City of Somerville Archives
Historic Preservation
Mult.
126,750
$
Complete
FY 15 Archives +FY18 Elections Records
439 Somerville Ave
Milk Row Cemetery
Historic Preservation
Mult.
81,468
$
Complete
FY15+FY16
68 Munroe St
Prospect Hill Tower
Renovation
Historic Preservation
Mult.
1,313,292
$
Complete
FY15 Historic preservation + FY15 OS Design+FY18 OS
Construction
1 Westwood Road
Somerville Museum
Historic Preservation
Mult.
1,858,104
$
Construction nearly
complete; collection
care in process
FY15+FY16+FY19+FY20+FY21+FY22+FY22+FY23. Elevator
and basement renovation completed. All grants closed out
except FY22 (+2 additions) and FY23.
485 Mystic Valley ParkwayMystic Waterworks Windows
Historic Preservation
FY15
243,000
$
Complete
PR is in process
201 Central Street
Temple B'nai Brith
Historic Preservation
FY15
450,945
$
Complete
Have not cooperated with signing PR and are concerned
about public access or publicity due to safety.
40 College Ave
West Branch Library
Rehabilitation
Historic Preservation
FY16
2,500,000
$
Complete
Permanent sign not yet installed.
Not specified
LHD Property Owner Fund
Historic Preservation
FY16
‐
$
Cancelled
83 Belmont St
Stained Glass Window
Restoration
Historic Preservation
FY17
4,510
$
Complete
Still working on PR ‐ waiting for banks to sign.
79 Highland Ave
Central Library Artifacts
Historic Preservation
Mult.
16,544
$
Complete
FY17 Mold Remediation + FY19 WPA Bas‐Relief + FY21 WPA
Bas‐Relief
59 Cross St
Somerville Hispanic
Association ‐ Grace Baptist
Church
Historic Preservation
Mult.
2,013,574
$
Complete / Ongoing
FY17+FY19+FY21+FY22 ‐ roof, windows, masonry, and
accessibility; First two grants closed out. FY21, FY22, and
FY23 grants scheduled for construction in 2024.
277 Broadway
Elizabeth Peabody House
Historic Preservation
Mult.
459,994
$
Complete / Ongoing FY18+FY19+FY20+FY22; Earlier phases complete; FY22
project is near completion. FY23 project going out to bid.
130 Highland Ave
Mission Church
Historic Preservation
FY19
111,808
$
Complete
Grantee not cooperative with signing PR, closeout payment
returned to reserve.
181 Broadway
Broadway House
Historic Preservation
FY21
185,155
$
In process
Project nearing completion
404 Broadway
Broadway Winter Hill
Congregational Church Bell
Tower
Historic Preservation
FY21
170,000
$
In process
Nearly completed; some work to be redone in 2024
81 Broadway
Mudflat Studio
Historic Preservation
FY23
15,000
$
Completed
Waiting to submit invoice for reimbursement
24 Webster Street
Just A Start Window
Restoration
Historic Preservation
FY24
113,440
$
Awaiting GA
Waiting for Grant Agreement to be signed
Funds Spent/Committed to Historic Preservation Projects
8,985,717
$
22 Vinal Ave
Somerville Community
Growing Center
Open Space/Recreation
Mult.
434,911
$
Complete
Not specified
Healey to Mystic
Open Space/Recreation
FY15
45,000
$
Complete
Not specified
School Garden Classrooms
Open Space/Recreation
FY15
45,373
$
Complete
Cedar to Grove Streets
Community Path Repaving
Open Space/Recreation
FY16
140,000
$
Complete
Page 1 of 3
CPA Project Status ‐ December 4, 2023
Project Location
Project Name
Category
Year
CPA Funds
Status
Project comments
30 Allen St
Allen St. Park Renovation
Design
Open Space/Recreation
FY16
20,000
$
Complete
115 Central St
Hoyt Sullivan Playground
Renovation
Open Space/Recreation
FY16
400,000
$
Complete
198 South St
South Street Farm
Open Space/Recreation
FY16
54,144
$
Complete
Not specified
Community Path
Open Space/Recreation
Mult.
‐
$
Cancelled
FY16 Design/Invasives + FY17 Survey ‐ Funds returned
Summer St & Craigie St
Community Pollinator Garden
Open Space/Recreation
FY17
11,576
$
Complete
5 Meacham St
Healey School Yard Design and
Tot Lot Construction
Open Space/Recreation
Mult.
453,413
$
Complete
FY17 Schoolyard Design + FY21 Tot Lot Construction
complete under budget ‐ some funds likely to be returned
115 Sycamore St
Winter Hill School Yard
Open Space/Recreation
FY17
500,000
$
Complete
32 Shore Dr
Blessing of the Bay
Open Space/Recreation
Mult.
447,202
$
Phase 1 design
complete; meadow
in progress; path
design starting
FY17 Design+FY18 Meadow installation; Contract extended
through June 2025. Plantings finished, one more season of
monitoring. Design starting for path.
70 Partridge Ave
Henry Hansen Park
Open Space/Recreation
Mult.
806,376
$
In progress
FY17 Design + FY23 Construction; Design nearly completed,
then going out to bid
Not specified
Land Acquisition Fund Study
Open Space/Recreation
FY17
40,000
$
?
Need to review how this will be used, and whether MOA to
see if it needs to be amended for future use
5 Palmer
Glen Park Community Garden
Open Space/Recreation
Mult.
716,200
$
Acquisition and CR
completed; Garden
in progress
FY18 land acquisition+FY19 CR+FY22 Community Garden
Expansion; garden breaking ground
35 Richardson
Open Space Land Acquisition
Open Space/Recreation
FY18
210,000
$
TBD
Anticipate final request for modification to be reviewed by
PSUF to make recommendation to CPC
110 Alewife Brook Parkwa Dilboy Auxiliary Fields Design
Open Space/Recreation
FY18
90,000
$
In progress
Need to finish design before it can go to construction
177 Powderhouse Blvd
Brown School and West
Somerville Design
Open Space/Recreation
FY18
140,000
$
In Progress
Design complete.
5 Cherry St
Kennedy Schoolyard
Open Space/Recreation
FY19
65,000
$
Stalled
Anticipate start in 2024 pending new grant
ArtFarm
Open Space/Recreation
FY19
‐
$
Stalled
CPC recommended this project, however this has not been
voted on by CC. May want to consider rescinding this
recommendation and asking the City to reapply when they
have a more defined project. As it is, CPC needs to keep
these funds available as long as the recommendation is in
limbo.
79 Highland Ave
Central Hill Playground
Open Space/Recreation
FY20
506,080
$
Complete
1060 Broadway
Lou Ann David Park
Open Space/Recreation
FY20
122,000
$
Complete
Not specified
OS Acquisition Fund
Open Space/Recreation
Mult.
500,000
$
N/A
FY20+FY21+FY22
Page 2 of 3
CPA Project Status ‐ December 4, 2023
Project Location
Project Name
Category
Year
CPA Funds
Status
Project comments
2 Woodbine Street
Somerville Junction Park
Open Space/Recreation
Mult.
500,000
$
In progress
FY22 Design + FY23 Construction; FY22 funds repurposed for
construction. Design complete; construction in progress
217 Somerville Ave
217 Somerville Ave Design
Open Space/Recreation
FY23
100,000
$
Design in progress
201 Willow Ave
Brown School Construction
Open Space/Recreation
FY24
97,000
$
Nearly complete
Pending final punchlist items in spring 2024
Funds Spent/Committed to Open Space/Recreation Projects
7,322,142
$
Page 3 of 3