CPA Adoption Update: Brookline Puts CPA on the Ballot for 2021

After November's "clean sweep" of nine communities passing their CPA adoption measures, there are already cities and towns making plans for their own campaign efforts in 2021 and beyond. And now, exactly one month after Election Day, Brookline has become the first community to place CPA adoption on the ballot in 2021 after their virtual town meeting passed the measure with wide support.

In Brookline, voters will now decide whether or not to adopt a 1% CPA surcharge for their community with exemptions for low income and low & moderate income senior homeowners. With a 1% CPA surcharge and the aforementioned exemption, the town is expected to raise approximately $2.6 million in local CPA revenues annually for outdoor recreation, historic preservation, affordable housing, and open space projects. Adopting CPA would also make the town eligible to receive annual distributions of funds from the statewide Community Preservation Trust Fund, monies that are available only to communities that have adopted the Act.

Brookline residents will be voting on CPA adoption during their spring election, tentatively scheduled for Tuesday, May 4th. With the popularity of the program at an all-time high, we may see more communities pursue adoption efforts in the coming months. Keep an eye on our CPA elections page for further updates.