Pittsfield event to talk Community Preservation Act

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) — The Community Preservation Committee will hold its annual preservation plan review public hearing on Monday, Nov. 7, in Room 203 at City Hall. The hearing will also be broadcasted on Pittsfield Community Television.

The purpose of this hearing is to review the planning work priorities from when the Community Preservation Act was adopted in Pittsfield, to receive feedback from the public on the planning work they have done, and to review how the funds have been utilized over the last several years.

The CPA was adopted in Massachusetts in 2000 to "enable a locally supported fund supplemented with a partial match from the state that could be utilized for projects that involve historic preservation, community housing, or recreation and open space project," City Planner CJ Hoss said.

Eligibility applications are due on November 18. Whether a project is eligible for CPA funding is determined by the Community Preservation Act, not the committee.

The application process involves two steps:

• The first is a determination of whether a project is eligible for CPA funds under Massachusetts law. A digital version of the application for this first step is available through the Community Preservation Committee webpage.
• Upon confirmed eligibility, projects will then be invited to submit applications for funding in early 2023.

For more information on the application process, call Hoss at (413) 499-9366. He can also be reached by email at choss@cityofpittsfield.org.