In First Year After CPA Amendments, Recreation Category Gets a Significant Boost

Oct. 1, 2013: With the lastest CPA project data tabulated, the numbers reveal widespread CPA activity through FY2013. We've compiled the statewide community preservation project statistics and they show significant strides in the recreation category last year. That was to be expected, following the amendments to CPA allowing communities greater flexibility to rehabilitate existing recreational assets. Statistics also show strong, continued growth in the Open Space, Historic and Housing categories.

The passage of amendments to the CPA legislation in 2012 allowed for greater flexibility on funding CPA outdoor recreation projects, specifically the rehabilitation and restoration of land for recreational use. In FY2013, CPA projects in this category increased 25 percent, pushing the number of recreation projects to about 1,000 since CPA began. The large increase in recreation expenditures illustrate the importance of the six year legislative effort to pass more flexible rules for funding CPA recreation projects.

The number of CPA accomplishments in the other three categories also experienced steady growth. Projects to develop and support community housing jumped 10 percent in FY2013, adding funding for over 1,000 units. The statewide total since CPA began now stands above 7,300 community housing units. In the open space category, FY2013 saw a 7 percent increase in the number of protected acres, pushing the new total to more than 19,200 acres across the state. Finally, the number of historic projects increased 14 percent from the previous year, with more than 400 new appropriations to historic resources in FY2013.

Overall, as of June 30, 2013, CPA has funded more than 6,600 open space, recreation, housing and historic projects. All 155 CPA communities, representing 44 percent of the state’s municipalities, have collectively raised more than $1.2 billion for community preservation since CPA’s inception in 2000 (total revenue combined from the local CPA surcharge plus CPA Trust Fund distributions). And after seven new communities passed CPA last November, we anticipate community preservation projects to continue their upward ascent into FY2014.

The above statistics are based on data from the state’s online projects reporting database (CP-3). Each year, CPA communities enter all projects approved in the previous fiscal year into the database. The Coalition generated the above statistics from that data.