Small Towns Are Tapping Into CPA to Address the Housing Crisis

Written by Chase Mack

With Massachusetts in the midst of a housing crisis, municipalities are relying on every tool possible in order to boost production of affordable housing - and the Community Preservation Act has proven time and again to be an invaluable resource for communities of all sizes. And while it’s certainly impressive to look towards the larger CPA cities across the state that dedicate millions of dollars in CPA funding annually towards housing production, it’s also important to recognize some of the smaller, rural towns that have used CPA to help address this crucial need. With that in mind, we’ve highlighted four towns that have recently made incredible efforts to address the shortage of affordable housing stock, all thanks to local investments of CPA funding.

Templeton – Baldwinville School Apartments

By 2023, the rural community of Templeton had not seen any new multifamily housing developments for over 25 years, mostly due to a lack of available local funding. But thanks to a major CPA investment of $1.2M, the town will now be converting a former school building into 54 mix-income apartments.

The three-story Baldwinville School, originally constructed in 1923, served as a high school and elementary school at different times until finally closing its doors in 2019. Taking quick action, the town released an RFP with the intention of rehabilitating the decaying structure and preserving its historic significance to the town. And because the Templeton's Master Plan had an explicit goal of increasing the housing stock, the town opted to work with MPZ Development and Capstone Communities to convert the former school building into dozens of affordable rental units, all while preserving the unique character of the historic building. Dubbed the Baldwinville School Apartments, construction is now underway to create 4 studio, 15 one-bedroom, 29 two-bedroom, and 6 three-bedroom units, the majority of which will be restricted to households making 30%-60% of the areawide median income.

State Representative Jon Zlotnik, whose father once attended the Baldwinville School, perfectly expressed how important this CPA development is for a town like Templeton:

“In rural communities, we have unique challenges - but we also have unique opportunities, like the one we’re standing here before today.”

Pelham – Amethyst Brook Apartments

Expected to be complete in early 2025, Amethyst Brook Apartments will soon be the very first affordable apartments constructed in the town of Pelham. While Pelham’s CPA investment of $500,000 represents only a small portion of the $22 million development cost, this local commitment of funding allowed the town to leverage several additional grants, including resources from the state’s Department of Housing and Community Development.

Work is now underway to transform the previously developed 8-acre parcel of land into 34 rental units, with a majority dedicated to households earning 60% or below the areawide median income and five units reserved for households at a 30% or lower AMI. Taking its name from a nearby stream running behind the property, Amethyst Brook Apartments has also been designed with energy efficiency in mind: rooftop solar panels and electric vehicle charging stations are being installed on the property, and all units will be certified to Passive House and Engergy Star standards.

Peter Serafino from Home City Development (which owns the site and is constructing Amethyst Brooks Apartments) had this to say about Pelham’s commitment to housing production through its local CPA investment:

“The need for all types of new housing throughout our region is well documented, and the town of Pelham has stepped up to make this development come to fruition.”

Deerfield – St. James Church Senior Housing

Described as a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity, Deerfield town meeting approved of $420k in CPA funds in the spring of 2024 to acquire the historic St. James Church and develop it into senior housing. Taking a cue from Sunderland’s Sanderson Place (featured below), Deerfield opted to have the town purchase the property before giving it over to a nonprofit developer that will later become a taxpayer. With overwhelming support from over 80% of town meeting voters, the town is now in the process of determining exactly how to go about the construction of new affordable senior housing.

While the creation of new housing units is the main priority, residents in Deerfield have also made it clear that preserving the character of this historic town asset is important as well. To help strike a balance between these two components of the project, town officials and consultants held a public feedback session on three initial designs for the property. The differences between these designs is primarily concerned with how much of the former St. James Church structure to keep in place, with a majority of residents preferring to renovate the church itself while replacing the rectory with a new building. Whie the final details are still being determined, the town hopes to create between 25 and 30 new units of affordable senior housing on this centrally located property.

Sunderland – Sanderson Place

Sanderson Place in the town of Sunderland required a decade-long journey that ultimately resulted in the creation of 33 units of affordable senior housing, located right in the historic town center - all because Sunderland could rely on their CPA program for the initial investment. The main apartment building contains several amenities for its senior residents, including an elevator, wheel-chair accessibility, sensory-adapted units for residents hard of hearing, a community lounge and dining area, an outdoor deck with expansive views of the nearby mountain range, a fully equipped fitness center, and onsite laundry. The town was also able to navigate many of the unique challenges of the property, with the successful preservation of the wetland area, energy-efficient buildings, and solar panels. In total, the project required a budget of approximately $13 million when all was said and done—and it all started with a CPA investment of $265,000.

For the amazing story behind Sanderson Place, you can read our full CPA Success Story published in 2023.