--------- YOU READY TO GO?
MY.
MY NAME IS BRIAN MOORE, CITY COUNSELOR AND I'M THE CHAIR THE CITY COUNCIL, THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE RESILIENCY AND PARKS. TODAY IS APRIL 21ST, 2026.
THE EXACT TIME IS 11:01 A.M. IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHAPTER TWO OF THE ACT OF 2025 MODIFYING TIME REQUIREMENTS OF THE OPEN MEETING LAW. I BELIEVE IN PUBLIC BODY THAT CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS INCLUDING
THE REQUIREMENT THAT PUBLIC BODIES CONDUCT THIS MEETING IN A PUBLIC PLACE THAT IS OPEN AND ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC. THE CITY COUNCIL WILL BE CONDUCTING THIS HEARING VIRTUALLY VIA ZOOM IF YOU OWN IT.
BEING RECORDED IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED AT BOSTON.COM, BACKSLASH, CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON THE COMMUNITY CHANNEL 882 AND FILES CHANNEL 964.
READING COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT DCC THAT EP@BOSTON.GOV THAT WILL BE MADE BY THE RECORDING AND BE ABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING.
INDIVIDUALS BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY SIGNED UP TO HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU WISH TO SIGN UP FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY YOU HAVE NOT DONE SO PLEASE EMAIL ATTENTION
STAFF LIAISON SHANE PAC AT S H A AND E OF THAT PACK@BOSTON.GOV PUT IT IN YOU NAME WILL BE ADDED TO IT. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0260 MESSAGE IN ORDER
FOR THE CONFIRMATION OF THE APPOINTMENT OF SAMEERA SAMEERA AHMADI AS A MEMBER OF THE BUILDING EMISSIONS REDUCTION AND DISCLOSURE ORDINANCE REVIEW
BOARD FOR A TERM EXPIRING MAY 23RD 2022. THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY MEMBERS SHOWER ROOM OR PART OF THE COMMITTEE ON FEBRUARY 4TH, 2026 ACADEMIC 0760 MESSAGE
IN ORDER FOR YOUR APPROVAL IN THE APPROPRIATION ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $860,000 FOR THE CEMETERY DIVISION OF THE PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT AND THE CHAIRS OFFICE OF THE
TREASURY DEPARTMENT TO BE FUNDED FROM THE CEMETERY TRUST FUND ESTABLISHED. IN CHAPTER 13 OF ACT 1961. ,DOCKET NUMBER 76 ONE METHOD IN ORDER AUTHORIZING THE CITY OF BOSTON TO.
ACCEPT AND EXTEND. THE AMOUNT OF $375,000 IN THE FORM OF A GRANT. THAT SUCH. ART IN PARKS PROGRAM GRANT OR WHAT. ABOUT THE BOSTON RED. SOX TO BE ADMINISTERED BY THE MAYOR'S. OFFICE ON. >> THESE MATTERS OR SPONSORED
BY MEMBERS? SHALL WE REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON APRIL 8TH, 2026? UH, FIRST WE'LL START OFF WITH THE BRENDA APPOINTMENT. UM, AND. I JUST WANT TO GIVE AN
OPPORTUNITY. UH, FOR THE APPOINTEE, UH. TO GET A CHANCE TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES, UH, AND GIVE A GIVE US, UH. A FEW WORDS.
ON YOUR BACKGROUND. THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. GOOD MORNING EVERYONE. GOOD MORNING. UM, MEMBERS OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL, THANK YOU FOR GIVING
ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO, UH, GIVE YOU A FEW WORDS ABOUT MY BACKGROUND AND, UM, I'M HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. MY NAME IS SAMEERA AHMADI.
I AM THE FOUNDING PRINCIPLE OF AN ENERGY STUDIO. UH, WE ARE A BOSTON BASED ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING FIRM. I AM ALSO A RESIDENT OF THE
CITY OF BOSTON. UM, I HAVE A BACKGROUND, UH, MORE THAN 15 YEARS, UM, EXPERIENCE IN ENERGY AND SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTING, UH,
WORKING MOSTLY IN THE GREATER MASSACHUSETTS NEW ENGLAND AREA. UM, AND FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS I HAVE BEEN VERY MUCH INVOLVED WITH ASSISTING UM BUILDING
OWNERS UH, MOSTLY LARGE RESIDENTIAL AND COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS IN BOSTON AND CAMBRIDGE COMPLYING WITH THEIR DATA AS WELL AS BUDO UH
REQUIREMENTS BUT ALSO HELPING A LOT OF UH AFFORDABLE HOUSING BUILDING OWNERS MEETING UM THE DECARBONIZATION GOALS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
UM, I HAVE A BACKGROUND IN ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING AND UM AGAIN I HAVE BEEN WORKING IN THE WORLD OF ENERGY AND SUSTAINABLE TWO CONSULTING FOR THE PAST 15 YEARS AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO UH, HOPEFULLY SERVING ON THE BIRDO BOARD AND I, UM I APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. THANK YOU. >> UH.
IF YOU JOINED BY COUNCILOR FITZGERALD ACCOUNTS FITZGERALD WAS. USED TO. ASK ANY. >> QUESTIONS. OF, UH, SAMARRA. SAMARRA AND. >> THAT'S THAT RIGHT. SORRY. THAT IS CORRECT.
YES IT IS. AHMADI WHO IS A BIRDO BOARD APPOINTEE. UH THANK YOU. UH, CHAIR UH APPRECIATE IT. AND SAMARRA. SAMARRA. THANK YOU SO MUCH, UH, FOR FOR
BEING HERE TODAY. CONGRATULATIONS, UH, ON BEING SELECTED UH, TO THE BOARD. UM. >> JUST A QUESTION MORE NOT SO MUCH ABOUT UM UH MORE ABOUT THE GENERAL CATEGORY WHEN YOU SAY YOU WORK WITH UH, AFFORDABLE
HOUSING DEVELOPERS AND OTHERS TO TALK ABOUT HELPING THEM GET OVER THE BURDEN OF REGULATIONS AND OTHER THINGS THAT CAN PROVE COSTLY DURING THIS OTHERWISE VERY EXPENSIVE TIME TO BUILD. UM, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE THINGS
THAT YOU'RE HEARING THAT THEY'RE THEY'RE MOST CONCERNED ABOUT BESIDES JUST COSTS LIKE IF YOU COULD JUST DIVE INTO IT JUST A LITTLE SO I HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THAT. THAT'D BE VERY HELPFUL. SURE. >> UH, SO I SHOULD SAY A LOT
OF OUR ESPECIALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING CLIENTS THAT WE HELP WITH UM, THEY ACTUALLY COME TO US WITH THE GOAL OF NOT UH, SPECIFICALLY MEETING THEIR THE REQUIREMENTS.
IT'S MORE OF UH IT'S AN EXISTING BUILDING. IT NEEDS IMPROVEMENT. AND NOW THAT THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE IMPROVEMENT, THEY WANT TO GO THROUGH ELECTRIFICATION AND DECARBONIZATION.
SO UM, MOST OF THE TIME IT'S ABOUT HOW WE CAN ACTUALLY PHASE THIS WORK BECAUSE BEING SUSTAINABLE AND GREEN IS VERY IMPORTANT TO THEM. THEY WANT BUT AT THE SAME TIME
PROVIDE UM UM INDOOR ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY AND AFFORDABILITY FOR THE FUTURE TENANTS OF THIS BUILDING. SO IT'S MORE ABOUT LOOKING INTO ARRAY OF OPTIONS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WHEN WE ARE GOING THROUGH ELECTRIFICATION AND DECARBONIZATION WE MAKE UM IMPROVEMENTS AND ALSO BRING DOWN THE COST, THE UTILITY COSTS AND THE OPERATIONAL COST
OF THE BUILDING AND THAT'S GENERALLY WHAT WE DO. AND ALSO DOES IT NEED TO BE A PHASED DECARBONIZATION OR CAN IT HAPPEN ALL AT ONCE? SO THOSE ARE GENERALLY THE
QUESTIONS THAT THEY HAVE. WHAT DO YOU THINK UH THANK YOU FOR THAT ANSWER. WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN THE THE OPTION MORE CHOSEN? UH I KNOW IT DEPENDS BUILDING THE BUILDING BUT DO YOU THINK PEOPLE ARE DOING IT ALL AT ONCE
OR IS THE PHASED APPROACH SORT OF THE MORE I MY GUESS IS IF YOU DID IT ALL AT ONCE YOU START SEEING THE SAVINGS MORE QUICKLY. RIGHT? >> SO IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE FOR THEIR BOTTOM LINE TO SAY LET'S JUST DO IT ALL IN ONE TAKE AND WRAP THE BAND-AID OFF IN OTHER
STATES I COULD SEE WELL LET'S JUST TAKE IT BIT BY BIT AND GIVEN YOU KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY THEY HAVE TO WORK WITH, THEY SAID WHAT IF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN DOING THE MOST? SO WE HAVE A COMBINATION
OF BOTH IF THEY IF THE BUILDING IS WEAKENED WE GENERALLY AND IF THEY CAN RAISE THE MONEY TO UH THE UPFRONT COSTS WE GENERALLY SUGGEST THAT WE DO IT ALL AT ONCE BECAUSE WE WANT TO MAKE
IMPROVEMENTS TO THE BUILDING ENVELOPE BEFORE YOU ELECTRIFY THE BUILDING. BUT WE ALSO HAVE CASES THAT THEY CHOOSE THE PHASE UH TO PHASE DECARBONIZATION BECAUSE
MAJORITY OF THESE BUILDINGS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO ANY UM IMMEDIATE REGULATION WHEN IT COMES TO LIKE BERTO, ACP SAID THEY NEED
TO PAY SO THEY HAVE TIME TO ACTUALLY GO THROUGH THE PHASE DECARBONIZATION. IT ALL DEPENDS ON WHETHER THE BUILDING IS FULLY OCCUPIED OR IF THE BUILDING IS WHERE CAN UM
THEIR THEIR THEIR PREFERENCE IS ALWAYS IF THE BUILDING IS VACANT TO ACTUALLY DO THE FULL UH RETROFIT AND DECARBONIZATION THEY WANT. GREAT. >> UM I THINK LASTLY ANY
ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD ADD IN TERMS OF UH THE HURDLES OF OF SOME OF THESE REGULATIONS VERSUS GETTING GROWTH TO OCCUR? UM. >> AND JUST YOUR GENERAL THOUGHTS OF HOW YOU SEE THAT GOING FORWARD. AND HOW.
>> IT WILL PLAY OUT. UM. >> UH I KNOW THAT UM, BERNARDO HAS A LOT OF RESOURCES SO WE GENERALLY TRY TO USE THE RESOURCES THAT COMES FROM BERTO BUT ALSO THE KNOWLEDGE AND
EXPERIENCE THAT WE HAVE TO HELP THEM TO MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION. UM UH, BUT THE GENERAL RULE FOR THEM IS THAT A MAJORITY OF OUR CLIENTS AND I SPECIFICALLY
FOCUS ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE THAT'S THE MEASURE SECTOR THAT WE WORK WITH IS THAT THEY WANT TO, UM, BRING THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TO
THESE ENTITIES AND TO THIS UM, BUILDINGS UH, MEANING THAT THEY WANT TO GIVE THEM UM, A HEALTHIER, MORE SUSTAINABLE UH ,PLACE.
UM IT COMES WITH SOME CHALLENGES AND AS A PRACTITIONER, UH, WE ALWAYS TRY TO OUTLINE THOSE CHALLENGES EARLY ON AND TRY TO FIND RESOURCES TO HELP THEM TO NAVIGATE THROUGH. >> THOSE. CHALLENGES AS WELL.
GREAT. >> THANK AND HAVE YOU FOUND IT HAS IT GOTTEN EASIER LIKE ARE WE GETTING MORE RHYTHM OF HOW TO HELP FOLKS AND GET A LITTLE BIT MORE GOING AS WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS I KNOW A LOT OF THINGS ALWAYS HAVE BUMPY STARTS AND THEN ONCE YOU GET IT
GOING YOU KIND OF FIND THE THE YOU FIND YOUR GROOVE. DO WE FEEL LIKE WE'RE FINDING OUR GROOVE WITH HELPING PEOPLE GET THROUGH THE BERTO PROCESS? UM I THINK THE THE RESOURCES OUT THERE UM PEOPLE HEARING
MORE AND MORE ESPECIALLY AS SMALLER ENTITIES HEARING MORE AND MORE ABOUT BERTO MAYBE LIKE IF I COMPARED TO A FEW YEARS AGO A LOT OF ENTITIES ARE STILL DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THAT IS WHAT
THEY NEED TO DO BUT I SEE IT MORE AND MORE BECAUSE WE ARE RECEIVING MORE REQUESTS, MORE CALLS THESE DAYS FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO. UH, SO I BELIEVE UH THEY'RE HEARING IT MORE THEY ARE MORE
CURIOUS ABOUT IT. THEY WANT TO LEARN MORE ABOUT IT AND THEY UH WANT TO KNOW HOW THEY CAN NAVIGATE IT. OKAY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE TIME. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR.
UH LOUIJEUNE. UM. WE'VE ALSO BEEN JOINED BY. COUNCILOR UH DURKAN. CATEGORY AGENDA FOR YOURS. ALL RIGHT. UM.
COUNCILOR DURKAN. WHO I COME FOR WHERE I'M I'M SORRY. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. I WAS JUST ON AND I JUST BEEN LISTENING, BUT, UH, THANK YOU GUYS ALL. UH, THANK YOU, COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE COUNCIL DURKAN TO FOR YOURS.
THANK YOU. >> CHAIR UM I SAMARRA I THANK YOU FOR STEPPING FORWARD. UM, I THINK IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE QUALIFIED PEOPLE TO, UM, HELP, YOU KNOW, BRING US INTO OUR NEW ENERGY FUTURE.
I KNOW THAT A LOT OF CONDO OWNERS IN MY DISTRICT, UM, DEFINITELY, YOU KNOW, DEAL WITH THE INTRICACIES OF TRYING TO COMPLY WITH BERTO. I THINK WE'RE ALL HEADED TOWARDS, YOU KNOW, THAT TIME WHERE THEY'RE ALL SORT OF GOING
TO HAVE TO SORT OUT SOME OF THOSE NUANCED ISSUES SO WE NEED REALLY QUALIFIED PEOPLE, UM, TO TO SERVE. SO I'M JUST GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR STEPPING UP.
I KNOW THAT UH, THESE UM, POSITIONS HAVE GONE TO PLANNING DEPARTMENT AND TRANSPORTATION AND THEY'VE ALSO GONE TO THIS COMMITTEE. SO UM, GIVEN THAT UM, YOU KNOW, I GENERALLY WOULD ASK A LOT
MORE QUESTIONS BY HEARING ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND, UM, AND YOUR EXPERTISE. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP TO SERVE. I KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE QUALIFIED. PEOPLE DURING THESE ROLES. UM, AND, UM, AND IT GIVES
ME GREATER CONFIDENCE AS WE HEAD INTO UM, YOU KNOW, THE NEXT FEW YEARS WHERE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE VERY NUANCED QUESTIONS ABOUT UM, HOW TO GET IN COMPLIANCE, UM, THAT WE HAVE QUALIFIED PEOPLE, UM,
SITTING IN THESE SEATS. SO THANK YOU FOR STEPPING UP. AND MY QUESTIONS ARE MOSTLY REGARDING WHERE MY, UM, UH, CHAIR JUST UH REGARDING ANOTHER
GRANT UM, THAT IS IN THIS COMMITTEE RIGHT NOW. SO I'LL I'LL WAIT FOR THE SECOND ROUND AFTER WE GET THROUGH THE NOMINATIONS. THANK YOU. >> SURE. AND I APPRECIATE YOUR FEEDBACK . UM, AND THANK YOU. UH, AND. UH.
>> LOOKING FORWARD TO SERVING WITH YOU ON THE BOARD. UH, I SEE THAT YOU BRING A LOT OF, UH, EXPERIENCE. >> AND KNOWLEDGE AND I, UM JUST LOOK AGAIN, I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO. WORKING WITH YOU. >> ON THE BOARD. UH, SO WE'LL MOVE NOW. UH, TO.
>> THE TO THE NEXT DOCKET. IT'S A ME I KNOW YOU HAVE A HAVE A. >> BUSY DAY AHEAD. >> OF YOU. UH, ARE YOU NOW 3 TO 3 TO GO? UM, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. THANK YOU EVERYONE. I LOOK FORWARD TO IT I
APPRECIATE IT AWESOME. BYE. >> AND NOW WE WILL GO INTO DOCKET NUMBER 0760 AND 0761. UH, WILL GIVE THE ADMINISTRATION AN OPPORTUNITY
TO INTRODUCE. HIMSELF, UM. STARTING WITH. THE CEMETERY UH DIVISION UH. GENERAL SUPERINTENDENT UH
SULLIVAN. HI, COUNCIL. HOW ARE YOU? >> GOOD MORNING. GOOD MORNING EVERYBODY. JUST SAYING HELLO. YEAH, WE WE HERE TODAY AND I'M HERE WITH MARGARET DYSON FROM THE TRUST OFFICE AND APPRECIATE
YOUR TIME. UM, MARGARET, YOU WANT ME TO GET INTO IT? UP? >> SURE. UH, THE COUNSELORS ARE READY. RIGHT?
NOW. IF I COULD GET SOME TOM. >> MARGARET, THE FLOOR IS YOURS. YES. OKAY. >> UM. >> YEAH. SURE, COUNSELOR. SO DO YOU WANT ME TO DO YOU WANT ME TO RUN DOWN WHAT THE REQUEST IS AND SPEAK TO THAT?
THAT'D BE PERFECT. OKAY. SORRY ABOUT THAT. UM, YEAH. SO WE'RE WE'RE HERE TODAY REQUESTING, UM, ADDITIONAL FUNDS FROM THE CITY OF BOSTON CEMETERY TRUST FUND. UM.
>> IN THIS UM IN THIS. ASK WE'RE ASKING FOR 200,000 TO ENGAGE IN, UH, A LICENSED PROFESSIONAL TO DEVELOP A PLAN FOR FUTURE BURIALS FOR THE NEEDS FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.
UM, JUST TO SPEAK BRIEFLY. CURRENTLY WE HAVE NEW GRAVES, UM, AT OUR CEMETERY LOCATION IN HYDE PARK. UM, AND UM, UH, BEST ESTIMATE AT THE CURRENT RATE WHICH CAN
ALWAYS CHANGE IS ABOUT 2 TO 3 YEARS LEFT AT THAT LOCATION. SO THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING FOR IN THAT DEPARTMENT TO TRY TO BE READY FOR UM AND BE CREATIVE WITH THE NEXT STEP SO WE CAN CONTINUE OUR OFFERING
CITY OF BOSTON UH RESIDENTS UH . PROPER BURIAL SPACE FOR THEIR LOVED ONES. UM, WE'RE ASKING 300,000 TO IMPROVE THE, UM TO IMPROVE PATHWAYS AND WATER
INFRASTRUCTURE AT MOUNT HOPE, FAIRVIEW AND EVERGREEN CEMETERIES. THOSE ARE THE THREE ACTIVE CEMETERIES UM AND ALL THREE UH COULD USE SOME LOVE UH, IN TERMS OF WATER ACCESS FOR THE
PUBLIC. UM AND THROUGHOUT UM THE MANY ACRES THAT WE HAVE THERE UH IT'S CURRENTLY A QUITE AN OLD SYSTEM. UM, WE'RE ASKING 200,000 TO IMPROVE THE LANDSCAPE
INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDING FENCING AND WALLS AT MOUNT HOPE CEMETERY, FAIRVIEW CEMETERY IN EVERGREEN CEMETERY 200,000 TO FORTIFY FENCES AND WALLS A LOT OF WHICH, UM, OBVIOUSLY NEED A
LOT OF LOVE, UH, AND CARE AND HAVE. BEEN UM. NEGLECTED LET'S SAY. UM TO IMPROVE UM TO IMPROVE APPEARANCES AND ACCESS TO THE PUBLIC.
UH, FOURTH ON THE LIST IS TO IMPROVE SIGNAGE AT MOUNT HOPE, FAIRVIEW AND EVERGREEN. UM, WE'RE ASKING FOR 100,000 UM FOR IMPROVED PATHWAY SIGNS, STREET SIGNS AND SECTION NAME
SIGNS SO THAT THE PUBLIC CAN BETTER FIND THE LOCATIONS UM AND OFFER A BETTER PRESENTATION TO ALL WHO VISIT, UH. >> THE HALLOWED GROUND. . >> WE'RE ASKING, UH, ADDITIONALLY FOR A UM, $35,000
TO IMPROVE PUBLIC ACCESS TO SUPPORT DIGITAL ACCESS FOR THE CEMETERY RECORDS IN MAPS OF THE BURIALS AT MOUNT HOPE FOR EVERYONE EVERGREEN CEMETERIES. UM, THIS IS A, UH THIS IS A
FUND THAT WILL HELP WORK UH, CURRENTLY UNDERGOING A, UM DIGITIZATION OF ALL OUR RECORDS WHICH WE'RE VERY EXCITED ABOUT . UM, AND THIS WILL HELP SUPPORT THAT UH, IN TERMS OF THE CLOUD AND ACCESS THAT THE PUBLIC WILL
HAVE GOING FORWARD. UM, AND JUST BRIEFLY UH, JUST TO GIVE IT A UM JUST TO GIVE IT A BROAD SHOT. UM, SO WE HAVE THERE'S 19 CEMETERIES THAT ARE OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE CITY OF BOSTON.
UM, WE HAVE 16 HISTORIC WHERE WE SIMPLY YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THEM ON THE FREEDOM TRAIL AND IN MOST NEIGHBORHOODS IN THE CITY, UH, WE NO LONGER IN OUR LOVED ONES IN THOSE LOCATIONS, BUT WE JUST BEAUTIFY OBVIOUSLY
GET THE SIDEWALKS IN THE WINTER, UH, AND MOW THE GRASS AND TRY TO MAKE THEM LOOK AS GOOD AS WE CAN. UM, THE THREE ACTIVE CEMETERIES ARE MOUNT HOPE AND MATTAPAN,
FAIRVIEW AND HYDE PARK AND EVERGREEN NEXT TO BOSTON COLLEGE UH IN BRIGHTON ON COM HAVE UM THOSE CEMETERIES UM UH MOST OF IDEAS WHERE UH WE DO
ANYWHERE FROM THE LAST THREE YEARS OR SO WE DO EVERYWHERE FROM 600 TO 800 BURIALS PER YEAR. UM WE HAVE A STAFF OF ABOUT 25 PEOPLE. UM, WE HAVE A GREAT STAFF. YEAH, WE WORK WELL TOGETHER.
I'M PROUD OF THEM AND UH AND AND UH AND THE JOB THEY DO UM, I'VE BEEN OVER HERE SINCE 2010 AND THESE GUYS HAVE AND GALS HAVE NEVER MISSED A BURIAL EVEN WITH ALL THOSE CRAZY SNOWSTORMS
OF 2010 AND 2015 AND SO ON. SO, UH, THEY DO COMMENDABLE WORK. UM, THE TOTAL ACREAGE OF WHAT WE OVERSEE IS 265 ACRES OF LAND THAT INCLUDES THE HISTORICAL UM
AND UM AND YEAH, WE JUST FEEL WE'RE A BIG PART OF THE COMMUNITY. WE TRY TO DO A GOOD JOB EVERY DAY AND, UH AND MAKE THE RESIDENTS PROUD AND ALSO BE, UM, YOU KNOW, BE ATTENTIVE TO THEIR NEEDS, THEIR CONCERNS
THAT THREE ONE ONES AND SO ON. SO I'M JUST A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY AND APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. THANK YOU. UM I NOW. TURN IT. >> OVER TO MY COLLEAGUE. ANY QUESTIONS? UH. STARTING WITH COUNCILOR. FITZGERALD COUNCIL THE FLOOR IS
YOURS. THANK YOU. CHAIR THOMAS. GOOD TO SEE YOU BROTHER. HOW ARE YOU? GOOD. >> GOOD TO SEE YOU, COUNSELOR. ABSOLUTELY. >> UH, NO. LISTEN, I THINK IT'S GREAT. UH, I NEVER HAD MANY COMPLAINTS. YOU GUYS KEEP THE PLACES
LOOKING BEAUTIFUL. UH, AND I LOVE TO HEAR ABOUT THE INVESTMENT GOING IN NOT JUST FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THE PARKS BUT ALSO INTO THE, UH, THE ANALOG STUFF OF LOOK AT HOW TO LOOK UP LOVED ONES AND
THAT AND UH, THAT'S ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT FEATURE AND A VERY, UH, ONE THAT GOVERNMENT SHOULD BE UH, ON TOP OF AND AWARE OF. SO I'D LIKE TO SEE THE INVESTMENT THERE FOR TO CARE FOR PEOPLE AFTER UH AFTER THEIR
LOVED ONES PASS ON UM SO THANK YOU FOR THE WORK YOU DO. THANK YOU TO THE GREAT TEAM YOU GUYS HAVE, UH, AND BEING CONSISTENT THROUGHOUT ALL THOSE YEARS UH, AND GIVING PEOPLE THAT ARE HAVING A, UH SOMETIMES
THEIR HARDEST DAY, UM, TAKING CARE OF THE OTHER STUFF SO THAT THEY DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT. SO I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU DO. I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. I LOOK FORWARD TO, UH, ONE DAY BEING IN ONE. I'LL TALK TO YOU GUYS. THANK YOU. >> COUNCIL.
THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES UH I THINK IT'S ONLY. UH, COUNCILOR DURKAN. COUNCILOR. THE FLOOR IS YOURS.
ALL RIGHT. UM. SORRY. >> I'M HERE. I JUST STEPPED AWAY FOR JUST A SECOND. UM, I I AM IN FULL SUPPORT OF THIS, SO, UM, I'M ACTUALLY
ASKING ABOUT THE NEXT DOCKET. I'M HERE TO TO ASK ABOUT THE NEXT DOOR. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR UH, TOM THOMAS, THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK THAT YOU
DO. UM, I KNOW THAT THE RESIDENT UM ,OVER THERE IN MOUNT HOPE UH, THEY THEY NOT ONLY THEY LOVE THIS SPACE. UM. >> THEY ALSO. I THINK I BELIEVE YOU WERE OUT
THERE A COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO PLANTING TREES AND I THINK IT'S SOMETHING THAT THEY DID LAST. YEAR AS WELL. UM, AND. YOUR SPACES. ,UH, NOT ONLY A. PLACE FOR. YOUR LOVED ONE. >> TO GO AND VISIT. UH, THEIR LOVED ONE, BUT.
IT'S OPEN SPACE. UH, FOR. >> A LOT OF COMMUNITIES THAT DO NOT. HAVE, UH, PARKS. UH, SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR WORK. UH, THANK YOU FOR. >> YOUR INVESTMENT. UH, INTO THE PARKS. UM. >> AND LOOKING FORWARD. TO PASSING. >> THESE. GRANTS AT THE NEXT
COUNCIL MEETING. THANK YOU COUNCIL VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, NOW WE'LL MOVE ON TO DOCKET. NUMBER 07650761. UM, AND NOW I WILL TURN.
>> IT OVER TO THE ADMINISTRATION. UH, TO INTRODUCE THEMSELVES AND TO PROVIDE ANY INFORMATION OR. PRESENTATION THAT THEY MAY HAVE. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. UH GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS BAD A COIN. I'M THE DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF TO MAYOR WU. UM, THIS IS AN ANNUAL AGREEMENT THAT WE RECEIVE AS OUR ANNUAL GRANT THAT WE RECEIVE AS PART OF AN EIGHT YEAR AGREEMENT WITH
THE RED SOX. EACH YEAR THE GRANT INCREASES BY $25,000 AND IN THIS CASE WILL BE $375,000. AND THIS IS THE FOURTH YEAR OF THE AGREEMENT. SO SEVERAL MORE YEARS TO COME
ON THIS AND TO BE WORKING WITH ALL OF YOU UM, FOR CONTEXT ON THIS YEAR, UM, THIS GRANT IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE FENWAY COMMUNITY AREA AS THE CITY APPROVED A 13TH FENWAY
CONCERT UH, EARLIER THIS YEAR. AND SO AS A RESULT, WE'D LIKE TO FOCUS, UM, ON THE FENWAY AREA RECEIVING THESE FUNDS. UM, WE DO NOT CURRENTLY HAVE AN EXACT LIST, UM, IN TERMS OF HOW
WE WOULD LIKE TO SPEND THE MONEY THIS YEAR, BUT WE WILL BE WORKING VERY CLOSELY ALONGSIDE COUNCILOR DURKAN AND FENWAY COMMUNITY LEADERS AS WE MOVE FORWARD ON THE PROCESS LATER THIS YEAR. AND HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. I WILL NOW TURN IT OVER TO COUNCIL COLLEAGUES FOR. QUESTIONS STARTING. >> WITH. COUNCIL FITZGERALD COUNCIL WITH CLOSURES. THANK YOU. >> UH SHE HAD NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME.
BARBARA APPRECIATE ALL YOUR WORK. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. THANK YOU COUNCILOR. UH, THE CHAIR RECOGNIZES COUNCILOR DECKING COUNCILOR FOR YOURS. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CHAIR. UM, AND I'M GRATEFUL TO THE
ADMINISTRATION, UM, AND THE RED SOX, UM, FOR THIS GRANT MONEY FOR BOTH THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. UM, I KNOW THAT, UM, I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH, UM WITH THE
ADMINISTRATION, UM, AND WITH THE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, TO COME UP WITH A LIST OF THINGS THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. AND SO I THINK IT MAKES SENSE THAT YOU DON'T HAVE, YOU KNOW, AN ILLUSTRATED LIST
OF EVERYTHING THAT, YOU KNOW, IT'S REALLY IS BEING WORKED ON WITH UH, COMMUNITY AND I KNOW THERE'S AN EQUITY COMPONENT TO THIS AS WELL JUST MAKING SURE THAT LIKE EVERYONE SEES UM, SOME BENEFIT FROM THIS MONEY
BUT I JUST WANT TO THANK THE BOSTON RED SOX UM AND WANT TO THANK UM, THE NEIGHBORHOOD FOR ALWAYS STEPPING FORWARD AND ADVOCACY. WE HAVE A LOT OF PARKS ADVOCATES.
WE A LOT OF HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS UM IN THE ARTS AND UM AND UM I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS THAT COME THROUGH MY EMAIL THAT UM, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE IN THE FENWAY PARK THEY HAVE,
YOU KNOW, 30,000 PEOPLE ROLL THROUGH UM, YOU KNOW, THE FENWAY UM, EVERY OTHER NIGHT FOR RED SOX GAMES THROUGHOUT THE SEASON. UH, THERE ARE 13 CONCERTS UM, PERMITTED FOR THIS YEAR AND
THERE'S A LOT OF IMPACT. SO IT'S NICE TO SEE, UM, YOU KNOW, THERE BEING SOME RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN UM, YOU KNOW, MITIGATING THAT AND UM, GRATEFUL TO, UM, FENWAY CIVIC
ASSOCIATION AND THE CHARLES HATE ALLIANCE A LOT OF THE LOCAL GROUPS THAT ARE DOING GREAT WORK UM, IN THE COMMUNITY UM, AND I KNOW THAT WE'VE GRANTED OUT PORTIONS OF THIS MONEY IN THE PAST FOR THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND I'M IN SUPPORT OF CONTINUING TO HAVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD FEEL, UM, YOU KNOW, AND GET TO SEE THE IMPACT OF THESE FUNDS. UM, SO I KNOW I'VE BEEN UM, YOU
KNOW, TALKING DIRECTLY TO THE ADMINISTRATION SO I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. I JUST WANT TO, YOU KNOW, SAY THAT I SUPPORT, UM, THIS GRANT GOING THROUGH THE COUNCIL AND I'M GRATEFUL TO THE RED SOX FOR THEIR SUPPORT OF THE COMMUNITY
,UM, WHICH I KNOW DOESN'T STOP OR START WITH THIS MONEY. THERE'S A LOT OF OTHER THINGS THEY DO IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD THAT UM, THAT IS THAT ARE BENEFICIAL. SO UM AND I THINK WITH GREAT IMPACTS COMES GREAT
RESPONSIBILITY AND I THINK THEY ARE THEY UH DO A GREAT JOB. I WANT TO THANK YOU KNOW, DAVE FRIEDMAN, CLAIRE DURAN, ALEJANDRO UM AND TO SORT OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY RELATIONS TEAM
FOR ALL THE WORK THAT THEY DO AND UM, YOU KNOW, I DON'T HAVE A CHANCE TO THANK THEM OFTEN ON THE CITY COUNCIL SO JUST WANTED TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY UM AND GRATEFUL UM, CHAIR, FOR YOU HEARING THIS GRANT, UM, I KNOW
THAT IT'S VERY IMPACTFUL AND COMMUNITY AND IT'S ONE OF THE TOP THINGS WE GET QUESTIONS ABOUT UM IN OUR OFFICE. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS AND MEET WITH THE COMMUNITY. UM, AND JUST GRATEFUL THAT WE
HAD TIME TO DISCUSS THIS DURING, UM, A COUNCIL HEARING. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR. UM THANK YOU FOR UM AND ALSO THANK YOU TO THE RED SOX AND TO THE COMMUNITY UM, THAT ALL COME
TOGETHER. TO MAKE SURE. THAT THIS GRANT, UH, SHOWS UP IN A REAL WAY, UM, INSIDE OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, I HAVE NO QUESTIONS AROUND
THIS. IT SEEMS LIKE IT'S CHECKING ALL THE. BOXES THAT THE ADMINISTRATION. UH, THE PARTNER AND. UM AND THE RED SOX AND THE. COMMUNITY AND THE COUNSELOR UM, ALL ON BOARD AND HAVING
CONVERSATIONS. >> ON. THE BEST WAY ON HOW TO, UH, MAKE USE OF THESE FUNDS. SO LOOKING FORWARD TO PASSING THIS, UM AND KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK. THANKS SO MUCH. THANK YOU. UM.
SEEING NO PUBLIC. TESTIMONY, I JUST WANT TO THANK OUR CENTER STAFF, ALL THE PANELISTS. TODAY. >> UH, MY COLLEAGUES UH, SHOWING UP UM, AND ASKING QUESTIONS. UM, AND AGAIN, THANK YOU TO.
THE PANELISTS. UM, AND THIS. HEARING ON. DOCKET NUMBER 0260. AND DOCTOR 076020761. >> IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU EVERYONE. Part: 2
FOR THE RECORD MY NAME IS ENRIQUE PEPEN, DISTRICT FIVE CITY COUNCILOR AND I'M THE CHAIR OF THE BOSTON CITY COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT. TODAY IS APRIL 21ST 2026.
THE EXACT TIME IS 2:04 P.M.. THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS ALSO BEING LIVE STREAMED THAT BOSTON OUR GOV. SLASH CITY COUNCIL DASH TV AND
BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN CHANNEL 82 AND FILES CHANNEL NINE SIX FOR READING COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT KCC THAT CPA
AT BOSTON GOV. AND WILL BE MADE A PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY
SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON, PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER. IF YOU ARE LOOKING TO TESTIFY
VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON KARISHMA AT UH K R I C S H MA THAT C H O
U H A N@BOSTON.GOV FOR THE LINK AND YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET NUMBER 0569 MESSAGE IN ORDER
APPROVING AN APPROPRIATION OF $32,600,000 FROM FISCAL YEAR 2026 COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUND REVENUES FOR COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PROJECTS AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF THE CITY
OF BOSTON COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE. THE UPCOMING PROJECTS WILL AIM TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE ACROSS BOSTON NEIGHBORHOODS. PLANS INCLUDE RENOVATING PLAYGROUNDS AND ENHANCING OR
CREATING RECREATIONAL SPACES SUCH AS PARKS, COMMUNITY GARDENS AND URBAN FARMS. IN ADDITION, THESE PROJECTS WILL PLANT TREES TO GROW THE CITY'S TREE CANOPY, PRESERVE
HISTORIC BUILDINGS AND ARTIFACTS. SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR AFFORDABLE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS AND CONSTRUCT NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNITS FOR RESIDENTS.
TOGETHER THESE EFFORTS ARE EXPECTED TO DELIVER A MEANINGFUL AND LASTING POSITIVE IMPACT ON BOSTON'S NEIGHBORHOODS AND COMMUNITIES. DOCKET NUMBER 0580758 MESSAGE
IN ORDER APPROVING AN APPROPRIATION ORDER IN THE AMOUNT OF $1,763,090 FOR THE ADMINISTRATIVE AND OPERATING EXPENSES OF THE CITY OF BOSTON
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2027 AND A FURTHER APPROPRIATION ORDER IN THE AMOUNT
OF $39,587,798 FOR THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUNDS. ESTIMATED ANNUAL REVENUES FOR THE FISCAL YEAR IN 2027. TO BE APPROPRIATED AND RESERVED FOR FUTURE APPROPRIATION.
THESE MATTERS WERE SPONSORED BY MAYOR MICHELLE WU AND REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON MARCH 18TH, 2026. DOCKET NUMBER 0569 AND ON APRIL
8TH 2026 FOR DOCKET NUMBER 0758 . SO FAR I HAVE BEEN JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF ARRIVAL. COUNCILOR FLYNN. COUNCILOR CULPEPER. COUNCILOR FITZGERALD AND
COUNCIL PRESIDENT BRIGHTON. I, UM, WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME EVERYONE TO MY FAVORITE HEARING OF THE YEAR. UH, IT'S AN HONOR FOR ME TO BE THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE. HONESTLY, JUST BEING ABLE TO
SEE THE AMAZING APPLICATIONS AND GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT APPLIED FOR CPA FUNDING AND SEEING SOME IN PERSON HERE UM, FILLS WITH NOTHING BUT WITH JOY. UM, THE FACT THAT WE GET TO
POTENTIALLY FUND SO MANY GREAT JUST PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY AND ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. IT'S ALWAYS A FEEL GOOD PROJECT AND I KNOW THAT WITH THE WORK THEY DO AND GOES ON DOES NOT GO UNNOTICED.
BUT I ALSO JUST WANTED TO THANK THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION TEAM FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT TAKES A LOT OF WORK AND EFFORT TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE DOING THE PROPER OUTREACH AND MAKING SURE THAT AS MANY PEOPLE AS.
POSSIBLE ARE APPLYING TO THIS. SO. SO I WANT TO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. A FAN OF OF THIS. SO THANK YOU FOR ALSO FOR PROVIDING THIS TO TO ALL OF OUR ALL OF US HERE ON THE
COUNCIL AND WHAT I WOULD LOVE TO DO IS I'M GOING TO PASS IT OVER TO YOU TO DO A QUICK INTRODUCTIONS TO DO YOUR PRESENTATION. I'LL KICK IT OFF TO MY COLLEAGUES FOR SOME Q&A AND THEN WE WILL HEAR FROM OUR
AMAZING COMMUNITY MEMBERS LATER ON. SO THAT THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS DATING BROWN AND I'M THE DIRECTOR FOR THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION OFFICE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS CHRISTINE O'KEEFE.
I'M THE DIRECTOR OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD HOUSING DIVISION AT THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING. SO THANK YOU ALL FOR HAVING ME AND, UH, THE TEAM TODAY. UM, FOR THE PAST EIGHT YEARS
I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH THE CPA OFFICE AND I'VE OVERSEEN ALL NINE FUNDING ROUNDS AND IT HAS BEEN A PRIVILEGE AND A PLEASURE TO SUPPORT THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY
GRATITUDE TO THE DEDICATED, UH ,COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE. EACH FUNDING ROUND REQUIRES THOUGHTFUL DELIBERATION, UM, DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND WE DEEPLY APPRECIATE THAT THEIR
UNWAVERING COMMITMENT TO THIS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE PROCESS. I ALSO WANT TO EXTEND MY APPRECIATION TO THE CPA STAFF OVER HERE ROKIA ISLAM, JILLIAN LANG, ELIZABETH SANCHEZ, LAUREN
HAHN, LIZ COOK AND SIMON POPE. THE DEDICATION AND PROFESSIONALISM AND CARE THEY BRING TO THESE ROLES EVERY DAY ARE ESSENTIAL NOT ONLY TO THE SUCCESS OF THIS YEAR'S FUNDING ROUND BUT TO HOW WE RUN THE CPA
OFFICE ON A DAILY BASIS. I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE DEDICATION THEY BRING TO THIS WORK. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO THANK THE CFO AND THE CITY TREASURER FOR THEIR LEADERSHIP, ALONG WITH ALL THE CITY DEPARTMENTS THAT
CONTINUE TO BE VALUABLE PARTNERS IN THIS WORK. I WILL TAKE THE NEXT 20 MINUTES TO PROVIDE A DETAILED OVERVIEW OF THE CPA PROCESS AND THE FY 26 FUNDING ROUND INTRODUCED A
SLATE OF 45 PROJECTS RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING THIS YEAR AND UH TO A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF THE FY 27 BUDGET. I AM HAPPY TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS AND DIRECTOR O'KEEFE
WILL RESPOND TO ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS ON THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS. AND SO THIS FIRST SLIDE HIGHLIGHTS THE BREAKDOWN OF FUNDING ALLOCATIONS FOR FY
26, WHICH WAS A TOTAL OF $32.6 MILLION. THERE WAS NO UH, REVERTED FUNDS REALLOCATED TO THE FY 26 FUNDING ROUND. THE COMMITTEE ALLOCATED 50%
OF FUNDING TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, 25% TO HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND 25% TO OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION. FOR THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE FAMILIAR WITH THE COMMUNITY
PRESERVATION ACT. THE NEXT UPCOMING SLIDES WILL GIVE YOU A BRIEF OVERVIEW. SO EACH YEAR 10% OF FUNDS MUST BE ALLOCATED TO EACH CATEGORY. HISTORIC PRESERVATION,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION. ADDITIONALLY, UP TO 5% MAY BE SPENT ON ADMINISTRATIVE COST. CPA FUNDS ARE STRICTLY LIMITED TO CAPITAL PROJECTS.
CPA FUNDS CANNOT SUPPORT MAINTENANCE OPERATIONS OR PROGRAMING. ELIGIBLE RECIPIENTS INCLUDE UH PUBLIC AGENCIES, PRIVATE ENTITIES, NONPROFIT AND FOR
PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS. ALL PROPOSED PROJECTS MUST MEET THE DEFINITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS OUTLINED IN CHAPTER 44 B WHICH IS LISTED HERE ON THE SLIDE FOR REFERENCE
. UNDERSTANDING THE ALLOWABLE USES OF CPA FUNDS IS ESSENTIAL FOR APPLICANTS TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE THEIR SUBMISSIONS TO SUPPORT THEM. WE PRIORITIZE EARLY AND
FREQUENT ENGAGEMENT EDUCATING APPLICANTS ON THESE ALLOWABLE USES SO THEY ARE WELL PREPARED TO BEGIN THE APPLICATION PROCESS.
TO DATE, COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUND HAS SUPPORTED 396 PROJECTS AWARDING MORE THAN 229 MILLION IN FUNDING ACROSS BOSTON.
CPA FUNDS HAVE HELPED PRESERVE UH 150 HISTORICAL BUILDING SITE VESSELS AND ARTIFACTS PROTECTING BOSTON'S CULTURAL AND ARCHITECTURAL HERITAGE. REHABILITATED AND CREATED MORE
THAN 100 PLAYGROUNDS AND RECREATIONAL SPACES. EXPANDING ACCESS TO SAFE, VIBRANT OUTDOOR AREAS FOR RESIDENTS OF ALL AGES. PRESERVED AND DEVELOPED NEARLY
2200 OF UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ALLOCATED OVER 28 MILLION TO PROGRAMS SUPPORTING FIRST TIME HOMEOWNERSHIP AND PREVENTING DISPLACEMENT. YOU CAN ALSO SEE A BREAKDOWN
OF THE PREVIOUS FUNDING ROUNDS FROM 2018 TO 2025. SINCE ITS CREATION, CPA FUND HAS UH HAS SUPPORTED 151 OPEN
SPACE AND RECREATION PROJECTS, 60 AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECTS AND 185 HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS. ON THIS SLIDE, THERE'S A DETAILED BREAKDOWN OF THE TOTAL
PROJECTS AND FUNDING AMOUNTS FOR EACH NEIGHBORHOOD. THE TOP EIGHT NEIGHBORHOODS, EACH WITH 16 OR MORE PROJECTS ARE DORCHESTER, ROXBURY,
JAMAICA PLAIN, BACK BAY, CHARLESTOWN, MATTAPAN, SOUTH END AND EAST BOSTON. I WOULD LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT THAT THE CITY CITYWIDE PROJECTS WHICH ENCOMPASS PROJECTS AND
PROGRAMS THAT BENEFIT ALL OF BOSTON RESIDENTS AND HAVE RECEIVED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF FUNDING TO DATE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR INTERACTIVE MAP WHICH IS ON OUR WEBSITE.
THIS MAP ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO EXPLORE THE PROJECT DESCRIPTIONS, FUNDING AMOUNTS AND EVERY CPA PROJECTS AWARDED TO DATE OFFERING A CONVENIENT WAY FOR FOLKS TO VIEW THE
FUNDED PROJECT PIPELINE AND THE CPA OF INVESTMENTS ACROSS THE CITY. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT OUR NEW COMPLETED PROJECT GUIDE ON OUR WEBSITE, WHICH ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO EXPLORE THE
FINISHED PROJECTS THAT CPA HAS FUNDED. THIS CHART HIGHLIGHTS THE FUNDING PERCENTAGE AND UH, THE FUNDING PERCENTAGE AND PROJECT
PERCENTAGE FOR EACH CATEGORY IN THE LAST EIGHT FUNDING ROUNDS. AFFORDABLE HOUSING ACCOUNTS FOR THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF FUNDING AT 51% DESPITE HAVING THE LOWEST PERCENTAGE
OF PROJECTS AT 15%. HISTORIC PRESERVATION HAS THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF PROJECTS AT 47%, YET A SMALLER SHARE OF FUNDING AT 24%. MEANWHILE, OPEN SPACE AND
RECREATION REPRESENTS 38% OF PROJECTS AND HAS RECEIVED 25% OF THE FUNDING. TOTAL FUNDING FOR THE LAST NINE FUNDING ROUNDS. THE COMMITTEE HAS COMMITTED 50% OF FUNDS TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING
. TO DATE WE HAVE 19 PROJECTS THAT HAVE WITHDRAWN. SOME PROJECTS HAVE WITHDRAWN BECAUSE THEY DID NOT MEET THE READINESS TO PROCEED. THEY CANNOT OR THEY COULD NOT
AGREE TO THE 15 YEAR TERMS OF OUR GRANT AGREEMENT AND THE LONG TERM SITE CONTROL AGREEMENTS THAT DID NOT ALIGN TO THE LONG TERM SITE CONTROL AGREEMENTS DID NOT ALIGN WITH OUR GRANT REQUIREMENTS.
I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IN THE NEXT FEW SLIDES UM, THE CPA OFFICE, OUR DAILY OPERATIONS AND OUR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS. WE ARE A SMALL BUT A HIGHLY EFFICIENT TEAM.
OVER THE LAST SIX FUNDING ROUNDS WE CAN CONTINUE TO RESHAPE AND STRENGTHEN OUR DAILY OPERATIONS. WE ARE ACTIVELY MONITORING OVER 120 PROJECTS DAILY CONDUCTING
SITE VISITS, HOLDING MONTHLY MONTHLY CHECK INS AND TRACKING CONSTRUCTION TIMELINES AND COMPLIANCE. APPROXIMATELY 80% OF OUR FUNDS FROM 2018 TO 2025 HAVE BEEN
PAID OUT. IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT ALL PROJECTS ARE COMPLETED BUT THAT ALL FUNDS HAVE BEEN DISTRIBUTED. GRANT INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS ARE MOVING QUICKLY OUT THE DOOR, TYPICALLY TAKING 1 TO 2 WEEKS
ENSURING THAT APPLICATION APPLICANTS ARE RECEIVING THE FUNDS VERY QUICKLY. OUR ROLLING ELIGIBILITY FORM ALLOWS APPLICANTS TO APPLY EARLY AND WE CONTINUE TO EXPAND OUR COMMUNICATION WITH
POTENTIAL APPLICANTS WHICH ALLOWS US MORE TIME TO VERIFY VERIFY PROPOSED PROJECTS BEFORE THEY ARE SELECTED TO GO BEFORE THE COMMITTEE. OUR ANNUAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
AND EDUCATIONAL MEETINGS ARE VITAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE GRANT PROGRAM. WE PRIORITIZE CONNECTING UH WITH AS MANY RESIDENTS AS POSSIBLE. WE HOST INFORMATION SESSIONS
WITH AND COLLABORATIONS WITH CITY COUNCILORS, EXPANDING OUR REACH AND ENSURING RESIDENTS ACROSS ALL NEIGHBORHOODS CAN PARTICIPATE. WE ORGANIZE MULTIPLE VIRTUAL
INFORMATION SESSIONS AND WORKSHOPS THROUGHOUT THE SPRING AND SUMMER, HELPING APPLICANTS UNDERSTAND ELIGIBILITY, THE READINESS TO PROCEED AND THE CPA PROCESS.
WE PROVIDE LANGUAGE ACCESS ACCESSIBILITY WHEN NEEDED. WE CONTINUE TO STRENGTHEN OUR ENGAGEMENT THROUGH CITY OF BOSTON SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS AND OUR MONTHLY NEWSLETTER REACHES OVER 1500 RESIDENTS.
KEEPING THE PUBLIC INFORMED ABOUT FUNDING THE FUNDING ROUND, PROJECT UPDATES AND UPCOMING EVENTS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT UM THAT WE HAVE LAUNCHED THE FY
27 FUNDING ROUND WHICH WE ARE PROMOTING AS A DECADE OF IMPACT . UH, THE 2027 FUNDING ROUND WILL MARK THE 10TH CPA FUNDING ROUND TO COME BEFORE THE MAYOR AND
THE CITY COUNCIL. AND ON THIS SLIDE WE'D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME KEY UM HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE FUNDING ROUND OVER 100 ELIGIBILITY FORMS AND REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
WERE SUBMITTED FOR REVIEW. 84 APPLICATIONS WERE PRESENTED TO THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE TOTALING OVER 45 MILLION IN FUNDING REQUEST. THE CPC HELD NINE PUBLIC
MEETINGS FROM SEPTEMBER TO JANUARY TOTALING 15 HOURS OF PUBLIC DISCUSSION. 45 PROJECTS ARE BEING CONSIDERED FOR THE FY 26 FUNDING ROUND, TOTALING $32.6
MILLION. 42 OUT OF THE 45 PROJECTS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR FULL FUNDING THIS YEAR, ONE APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL. THIS FUNDING ROUND OPEN
BOSTON'S TOTAL AWARD UNDER THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT TO MORE THAN 260 MILLION SUPPORTING 441 PROJECTS ACROSS THE CITY. SINCE THE RESIDENTS ADOPTED THE
ACT IN 2016. ON THIS SLIDE, THIS IS AN OVERVIEW OF THE APPLICATIONS RECEIVED FROM EACH NEIGHBORHOOD . THIS FUNDING ROUND DORCHESTER HAD THE HIGHEST NUMBER
OF RECOMMENDED PROJECTS FOLLOWED BY ROXBURY. UNFORTUNATELY FIVE NEIGHBORHOODS BAY VILLAGE, BEACON HILL, BOSTON HARBOR, FENWAY, KENMORE AND NORTH END
DO NOT HAVE ANY PROJECTS RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING THIS YEAR. THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE REMAINS DEEPLY COMMITTED TO FUNDING PROJECTS ACROSS ALL NEIGHBORHOODS. THE CPA STAFF WILL CONTINUE TO
WORK ON WORKING TO IDENTIFY PROJECTS THAT ARE READY TO PROCEED AND POSITIONED TO FOR SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION. ON THE NEXT FEW SLIDES I JUST
WANTED TO COVER UH, THE DATA THAT'S IN OUR UPDATED CPA PLAN WHICH GUIDES THE ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FOR FY 23 TO 527. THE PLAN NOW INCLUDES UM DATA
FROM THE EIGHTH FUNDING ROUND AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE UPDATED IN F IN FY 26. THE PLAN'S OVERALL GOALS ARE LISTED ON OUR WEBSITE. WE ENCOURAGE THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO PLEASE VISIT THE PLAN
UM ON OUR WEBSITE WITH DETAILS. IT HAS DETAILED INFORMATION ON ALL OF OUR GOALS. OUR PLAN MEASURES SEVERAL KEY INDICATORS INCOME, LANGUAGE ACCESS, DEMOGRAPHICS AND THE
POVERTY LINE. THIS SLIDE SHOWN HERE HIGHLIGHTS HOW MANY CPA PROJECTS HAVE REACHED THE HIGHEST NEED NEED NEED NEEDED COMMUNITIES.
217 PROJECTS OR 55.5% OF PROJECTS UM IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE OVER 65% OF THE HOUSEHOLDS EARN BELOW THE AREA
MEDIAN INCOME, 162 PROJECTS OR 39.5% ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WITH THE HIGHEST LANGUAGE ACCESS NEEDS, 157 PROJECTS OR 4,040%
ARE IN NEIGHBORHOODS WHERE MORE THAN 65% IDENTIFY AS PEOPLE OF COLOR AND 33 PROJECTS OR 8.3% ARE IN CENSUS TRACTS WITH
ELEVATED POVERTY LEVELS WHERE OVER 40% OR MORE OF RESIDENTS LIVE BELOW THE POVERTY LINE. THE CPA OFFICE CONTINUES TO CENTER EQUITY IN EVERY FUNDING ROUND, ENSURING THAT ALL
NEIGHBORHOODS AND RESIDENTS BENEFIT FROM THESE INVESTMENTS . HERE IS THE RECOMMENDED SLATE OF 45 PROJECTS FOR THE FY 26 FUNDING ROUND.
THIS IS ONCE AGAIN A HIGHLY COMPETITIVE CYCLE RESULTING IN DIFFICULT DECISIONS BY THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE. AND FOR MY FINAL SLIDE WHICH IS
NEW RECOVERING THE FY 27 BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS. AND I'LL JUST READ SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM UH FOR THE FY 27 BUDGET. UH, THE AVAILABLE PROJECTS
FUNDED UH FUNDING FOR FY 27 IS 39.59 MILLION. A 4.35 MILLION INCREASE FROM FY 26. THE INCREASE IS PRIMARILY DUE
TO 3 MILLION AN INCREASE UM AND 33 MILLION INCREASE IN PROJECTED CPA SURCHARGE AND FY 26. THE FUND HAD 4.19 MILLION IN FUND BALANCE FOR FY 27.
THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION FUND IS ESTIMATED TO HAVE A FUND BALANCE OF 5.7 MILLION. THESE RESERVES WILL BE AVAILABLE TO EXPAND AND CARRY
FORWARD FUTURE FUNDING ROUNDS. THE ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDING HAS BEEN INCREASED TO 1.676 MILLION. A 209,000 INCREASED FROM FY 26
AT RECOMMENDED LEVEL. THE ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET WOULD ACCOUNT FOR 4.19% OF THE ANTICIPATED FY 27 REVENUE FROM SURCHARGE AND THE STATE MATCH WHICH THE CITY USES AS A
REFERENCE POINT FOR THE 5% STATUTORY CAP. THE BUDGET REFLECTS THE INCREASED PERSONNEL COSTS REQUIRED TO MANAGE THE CP'S GROWING UH PROJECT PORTFOLIO.
INCREASES INCLUDE PERMANENT EMPLOYEE SALARY COST FY 27 BUDGET REALLOCATE FY 27 BUDGET REALLOCATE SOME COST FROM THE CITY'S TREASURY DEPARTMENT FOR
STAFFING THAT SUPPORT THE CPA OFFICE. INCREASE IN CONTRACTUAL SERVICES FOR THE UPDATED CPA MASTER PLAN FOR FY 2028 TO FI
32. AND SO THIS WRAPS UP MY FULL PRESENTATION ON AN OVERVIEW FOR THE FY 26 FUNDING ROUND. AND I'M HAPPY TO TAKE ANY QUESTIONS ON HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND OPEN SPACE
PROJECTS. AND DIRECTOR O'KEEFE WILL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY OF THE, UH, AFFORDABLE HOUSING QUESTIONS. THANK YOU ALL. PERFECT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT PRESENTATION AND FOR UM,
HONESTLY ALL THE WORK YOU DID TO GET TO THIS POINT FOR THIS FISCAL YEAR FUNDING. I WILL NOW ALLOW MY COLLEAGUES TO ASK QUESTIONS. UM, I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR WEBER. SO WELCOME. I'M GOING TO GIVE MY COLLEAGUES FIVE MINUTES FOR OUR FIRST ROUND OF QUESTIONS AND THEN IF YOU HAVE ANY FOLLOW UP UM I'LL GIVE YOU AS MUCH TIME
COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR IS YOURS. UM, THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND THANK YOU TO DE DEAN AND TO THE CPA TEAM FOR THE OUTSTANDING WORK YOU DO EVERY
YEAR OR THE OPPORTUNITY TO ATTEND EVERY HEARING OVER THE LAST EIGHT YEARS. AND I WAS ALWAYS IMPRESSED BY THE PROFESSIONALISM OF THE DEAN AND IN YOUR TEAM.
SO I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANT PROFESSIONAL WORK YOU DO EVERY DAY. I ALSO WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE TWO FORMER COLLEAGUES THAT REALLY PLAYED A CRITICAL ROLE ON CPA
AS WELL GETTING IT THROUGH AND THAT WAS ANDREA CAMPBELL AND UM, MICHAEL FLAHERTY. UM, THEY DOING WHAT I ALSO LIKE
ABOUT. THE THE CPA PROGRAM IS UNFORTUNATELY IF YOU DON'T GET SELECTED AND YOU APPLIED WHAT I
DO LIKE IS YOU TALK TO THE APPLICANT ABOUT THEIR APPLICATION AND MAYBE MAKE SOME RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT THEY DID WELL OR HOW THEY CAN IMPROVE THE APPLICATION FOR THE
NEXT TIME. BUT CAN YOU TALK TO ME ABOUT SOME OF THE UH, SUPPORT YOU PROVIDE APPLICANTS THAT DIDN'T WIN BUT NOT TO GET DISCOURAGED
THAT THERE'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY AND YOU LEARN YOU LEARN FROM YOUR PREVIOUS APPLICATION. COULD YOU MAYBE TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THAT PLEASE? SURE, ABSOLUTELY. UH, FOR APPLICANTS THAT ARE NOT
RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING MAJORITY OF THE TIME IT'S NOT BECAUSE THEIR APPLICANT THEIR APPLICATION IS NOT GOOD. IT'S JUST BECAUSE IT'S A REALLY COMPETITIVE UH, FUNDING ROUND IS JUST NOT ENOUGH FUNDING.
BUT FOR THOSE THAT DO NEED MORE WORK WE HAVE A DETAILED CONVERSATION UM, REGARDING THEIR BUDGET, THEIR SCOPE OF WORK AND WE TRY TO ENCOURAGE THEM TO COME BACK IN. UM, TRY TO ENSURE THAT THEY HAVE A GOOD TEAM, GOOD
ESTIMATE. UM, BUT WE'RE CONTINUING TO CONSTANTLY HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND WE HAVE SOME APPLICANTS THAT HAVE COME IN ONCE OR TWICE AND ARE NOT FUNDED UNTIL THE THIRD TIME. AND SO APPLICANTS REALLY
UNDERSTAND THE COMMITMENT AND UNDERSTAND THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF THE GRANT FUNDS. UM, AND BUT THEY ALSO KNOW THAT THEY CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO OUR STAFF TO HAVE CONVERSATIONS AND WE'RE HAPPY TO TALK TO
THEIR SCOPE OF WORK AND WHAT THEY WHAT THEY MIGHT BE COMING IN FOR. THANK YOU DEAN AND I'LL MAKE ONE MORE FINAL COMMENT AND AND
THAT IS I TRY TO ATTEND AS MANY LISTENING SESSIONS IN PERSON OR ON ZOOM AS I CAN WHETHER THEY'RE IN MY DISTRICT OR NOT. BUT I I DO KNOW THAT YOU ALWAYS
UM WHEN I ASK FOR A UH A LISTENING SESSION UM, ON ZOOM OR IN PERSON THE YOUR TEAM IS ALWAYS THERE UM, IN A PROFESSIONAL MANNER PROVIDING
GREAT GREAT FEEDBACK UM TO RESIDENTS THE CPA TEAM BUT THE CPA PROGRAM IN PARTICULAR REALLY BRINGS THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON TOGETHER AND THERE'S
SOMETHING IN THERE FOR EVERYBODY. AND DURING DIFFICULT AND CHALLENGING TIMES AND WHEN THE WHEN PEOPLE ARE DISCOURAGED AT CITY UH, STATE OR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, ONE THING WE CAN
LOOK AT AND KNOW THAT GOVERNMENT IS WORKING IS THE CPA PROGRAM AND KNOWING THAT IT PROVIDES CRITICAL SUPPORT, CRITICAL UM SERVICES TO THE
RESIDENTS OF BOSTON IN SUCH A PROFESSIONAL MANNER. UM I'M SO PROUD OF THIS DEPARTMENT AND THE OUTREACH THEY PROVIDE. MR CHAIR, I HAVE NO FURTHER COMMENT OR QUESTIONS. THANK YOU SO MUCH
COUNCILOR FLYNN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT. UM, OKAY. NEXT UP WE HAVE COUNCILOR CULPEPER. YOU HAVE. FIVE MINUTES. >> THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. AND GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, CHRISTINE.
AND THEY DEAN AND FOR ME I THINK, UM. THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION PROGRAM IS PROBABLY IF NOT THE
MOST IMPORTANT PROGRAM THAT THE CITY HAS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PROGRAMS WHEN IT COMES TO ASSISTING COMMUNITIES THAT ARE STRUGGLING AND NOT
ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS. I WANTED TO ASK A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SENIOR HOUSING AND I SEE YOU HAVE THE ROGERS BUFORD SENIOR HOUSING.
AND THAT'S 62 AND OVER RIGHT? THAT'S CORRECT. WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ROGERS BUILT FOR AND. 1190 CENTER STREET WHERE IT
SAYS IT'S JUST FOR OLDER ADULTS ? IT'S A SIMILAR MODEL. IT'S BUILT 62 YEARS AND OLDER OKAY. YEAH SO THE INCOME RESTRICTED
BOTH OF THEM. YES THEY BUILT 100% AFFORDABLE. AND SO WE UNDERSTAND THAT THE 2028 11 PROGRAM FROM HUD IS GONE.
UM AND I SEE THAT YOU'RE MAKING AN EFFORT TO SUPPORT AS MUCH SENIOR HOUSING AS POSSIBLE. HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT MAYBE SETTING ASIDE A PROGRAM SO THAT
IS A STANDALONE PROGRAM UNDER CPA FOR JUST SENIOR HOUSING FOR A CERTAIN AMOUNT EVERY YEAR WITH JUST SENIOR HOUSING BECAUSE THE 2028 11 ONCE THAT
WENT AWAY AND I DON'T THINK MOST FOLKS KNOW WHAT IT WAS UH BUT WHEN CONGRESS CUT THAT MONEY OUT, ONE OF THE PROBLEMS THAT WE HAVE TODAY IS THE BABY
BOOMERS AS THEY AGE OUT HAVE NO PLACE TO TO REALLY LIVE BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KEEP UP WITH THE PERCENTAGE OF BABY BOOMERS THAT WERE AGING AS WE USED TO WITH
THE SENIOR HOUSING. AND SO MY QUESTION IS IS THERE A WAY TO SET ASIDE A SEPARATE SENIOR HOUSING PROGRAM UNDER THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT THAT WOULD HAVE A CERTAIN
AMOUNT OF DOLLARS DEDICATED TO SENIOR HOUSING EVERY YEAR? YES. >> AND UNDER THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL THAT WE ISSUE IN AUGUST WORKING WITH CPA MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING FUNDS AS WELL
AS ANY FUNDING WE ACTUALLY HOLD ASIDE FOR $1 MILLION OF FUNDING JUST FOR SENIOR HOUSING. YOU'LL SEE IN THIS UM FUNDING ROUND WE WELL EXCEEDED THAT AMOUNT. I THINK WE'RE CLOSE TO LIKE 12 MILLION.
BUT SENIOR HOUSING IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO US. SO WE DO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE CALLING OUT SEPARATE FUNDING FOR SENIOR HOUSING. UM, THIS WAS A BIG ROUND FOR SENIOR HOUSING FOR US. SOMETIMES WE DON'T GET ANY
APPLICATIONS FOR IT. BUT UM I'M GOING TO SAY THE LAST THREE YEARS WE'VE SEEN QUITE A FEW SENIOR. HOUSING PROJECTS COME THROUGH. >> AND SO WHEN WHEN YOU SAY IN THE PAST YOU HAVEN'T GOTTEN MANY APPLICATIONS, WAS IT BECAUSE THEY DIDN'T KNOW THAT
THERE WAS SPECIFIED MONEY FOR SENIOR HOUSING OR IS IT JUST STRICTLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING INCOME RESTRICTED? UM I'M GOING TO SAY IT'S BASED ON COMMUNITY NEEDS.
SOME NEIGHBORHOODS HAVE UM UM SEVERAL SENIOR HOUSING PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE SO THEY DIDN'T MAYBE APPLY THIS TIME AROUND. BUT WE ALWAYS HIGHLIGHT WHEN WE'RE MEETING WITH DEVELOPERS THE NEED FOR SENIOR HOUSING.
AND UNDER THE UH ONE PLUS BOSTON HOMEBUYERS PROGRAM THERE WAS 16,300,000 THIS YEAR. UM, FOR THAT PROGRAM.
FIVE 5 MILLION 5,000,005. >> MILLION I THOUGHT I SAW 16. SO WHAT IS THE TOTAL. FROM 2004 THAT'S A TOTAL. THAT'S FOR THE TOTAL HOUSING RIGHT? >> YEAH. AND SO THAT'S FOR A DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE.
YES AND FOR LOANS ALSO. IT'S FOR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS IT'S MOSTLY FOR BUYING DOWN THE INTEREST RATE. SO BUYING DOWN THE INTEREST RATE ALONG WITH OTHER PROGRAMS
THAT THE BOSTON HOME CENTER HAS FOR DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE THEY'RE MATCH TOGETHER TO HELP MAKES UM BUYING MORE AFFORDABLE . >> SO I SAW ONE INTEREST RATE ONE FOR ONE. THE ONE THAT YOU HAD IN THE
PRESENTATION WAS 2.5. IS THAT AROUND THE AVERAGE OF WHAT MOST OF THOSE FIRST TIME HOMEBUYERS WILL GET FOR THE INTEREST RATE? UM, MOST FOLKS UM SINCE JANUARY THEY'RE SEEING OR THEY'RE
SEEING A REDUCTION BY A 1% INTEREST RATE. OKAY. >> SO LET ME GO BACK TO MY QUESTION. THE 2.5 THAT'S IN HERE ON PAGE AND THE ONE THERE'S NOT A PAGE
NUMBER BUT IT'S UNDER THE ONE THAT WAS ON HOMEBUYER PROGRAM. MY QUESTION IS IS THAT ABOUT THE AVERAGE RATE OF INTEREST RATE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET THROUGH THE BOSTON HOMEBUYER
PROGRAM 2.5. NO I'M NOT SURE. YEAH I'M NOT SEEING A TWO POINT IN THE. GOING LOOK AT NUMBER TWO. IT'S SAYS ONE CLOSE HOMEBUYER
PROGRAM CITYWIDE. YOU SEE THAT? YES. >> ARE YOU LOOKING AT THE PHOTO. ? >> I'M LOOKING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PHOTO WHERE IT SAYS WHAT IS ONE PLUS BOSTON? AND IF YOU LOOK THE WRITING IS
REAL SMALL. THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THIS HOUSE WAS. SO THIS IS SIX THE DOWN PAYMENT
WAS 15 AND THEN IT SAYS INTEREST RATE WAS 2.5 WAS AT 3.5. >> IS. 3.53.. WHO SAID THAT. YOU GOT BETTER EYES AND I MY
QUESTION IS IS THAT THE AVERAGE OF THE INTEREST RATE THAT THEY'RE GOING TO GET UNDER THIS PROGRAM OR WILL IT SKYROCKET AND BASED ON THIS INTEREST RATE
,THE LOWER INTEREST RATE IS BASED ON HOW MUCH THAT THEY GOT FROM THE ONE PLUS BOSTON HOMEBUYER PROGRAM. YEAH. >> SO THE AVERAGE INCOME UM INTEREST RATE RIGHT NOW IS ABOUT 6%. RIGHT RIGHT. >> SO THAT COULD BRING IT DOWN
1% SO THEY GET ABOUT A 5% INTEREST RATE. OKAY SO THAT'S ALL THEY'RE GETTING FOR THE INTEREST RATE IS 1%. YES OKAY ON THE INTEREST RATE AND PLUS THERE IS ADDITIONAL POSSIBLE DOWNPAYMENT ASSISTANCE
WHICH THEY COULD RECEIVE UP TO $50,000. MR CHAIR I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS BUT IF THERE'S GOING TO BE A SECOND ROUND YES. UM YEAH I'LL TAKE. YOUR TIME. THANK YOU THANK YOU CHRISTINE THANK YOU VERY, VERY UH I DON'T
THINK PEOPLE UNDERSTAND HOW SIGNIFICANT THESE PROGRAMS ARE UNDER CPA AND SO I'VE GOT ONE MORE QUESTION BUT I HOLD THANK YOU, MR CHAIR.
UM, COUNCILOR FITZGERALD, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU. CHAIR. UH, AND THAT EVENING, CHRISTINE. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY. ONE I JUST WANT TO. UH, GIVE KUDOS THE FACT I
NOTICED THERE'S A LOT OF, UH, INTERNAL MEASURES YOU GUYS HAVE TAKEN TO BE MORE EFFICIENT. THAT'S ALWAYS A SIGN OF HOW TIGHTLY RUN SHOPS ARE. GREAT JOB. AND, UH, YOU LOVE TO SEE IF THINGS ARE GOING RIGHT ON THE INSIDE. YOU KNOW THE PRODUCT COMING OUT
IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE BETTER. SO I APPRECIATE YOU, UH, BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF, UH OF THE DEPARTMENT. UM. A QUESTION AROUND. UH. >> IN DISTRICT. THREE WHERE I REPRESENT THE NOT
NOT A TIME UH, THAT IS JUST OCCURRED THIS YEAR AND THAT'S FINE. I THINK WE'VE WE'VE HAD SOME GOOD ROUNDS IN THE PAST. UM, BUT I'M THINKING. ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP WITH
STATE RUN PROJECTS AND HOW CPA RELATES TO ANYTHING STATE RUN. UH, I'M THINKING ABOUT SORT OF THE PONTIAC GREENWAY, MORRISSEY BOULEVARD REDESIGN, COASTAL RESILIENCY PROJECTS
THAT ARE COMING. WE HAVE OVER SEVEN MILES OF COASTLINE UH ALONG DORCHESTER UH IN DISTRICT THREE AND THINKING ABOUT FUTURE COLLABORATION. SO I'M MORE JUST THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE CAN DO.
HOW DOES IT WORK WHERE. THE CPA COULD BE COUPLED WITH STATE PROJECTS OR IS THAT IS THAT SOMETHING THAT'S. >> BEEN. DONE AND HOW HAS IT GONE IN THE PAST IF IF IT HAS GONE AWRY AT
ALL OR WHAT ARE THE HURDLES THAT WE FACE THAT WE CAN KIND OF TALK ABOUT? SURE. >> SO WE HAVE DONE SOME PROJECTS WITH DCR. YEAH. UM AND IT'S USUALLY BEEN PLAYGROUNDS AND SO CITY AND
STATE DEPARTMENTS CAN APPLY FOR CPA FUNDS AS LONG AS THE WORK THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT THEY'RE ASKING FOR FALLS WITHIN THE THESE THREE CATEGORIES. SO IF THEY ARE LOOKING TO
CREATE FOR EXAMPLE UM NEW TRAIL WAYS OR PATH OR PLANT TREES AND THEY WANT TO USE CPA FUNDS OR APPLY FOR CPA FUNDS FOR THAT POTENTIAL SCOPE OF WORK, THAT'S WHERE THEY CAN DEFINITELY TAP
IN TO USE CPA FUNDS. AND WE HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL WITH DOING WE DID ABOUT MAYBE 3 OR 4 DCR PROJECTS. UM WE USUALLY TURN OVER. A LARGE.
AMOUNT OF THE FUNDS THAT WE CAN MONITOR AND THEY WILL SEE THE FINAL 10% AFTER THE PROJECT IS COMPLETED. BUT WE HAVE WORKED ON SOME UM SOME PROJECTS WITH WITH STATE DEPARTMENT. THAT'S GOOD. >> SO IS IT BETTER THE STATE. APPLIES FOR THE.
>> FUNDING NOT A LIKE A501 C3 OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT COULD THEN SORT OF UH ADD TO IT TO THE WORK IF THEY WERE ABLE TO TO SOMEHOW GET CONTROL OVER A CERTAIN. PIECE OF.
THE DEVELOPMENT. RIGHT. >> SO USUALLY IF A IF AN ORGANIZATION IS APPLYING AND THEY HAVE THE FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY TO CARRY OUT CONSTRUCTION WORK, THEY CAN BUT THEY BUT THEY WILL NEED
PERMISSION FROM THAT UH CITY OR STATE DEPARTMENT AND THEY MUST HAVE AN MOU THAT'S 15 YEARS OR LONGER. IF NOT WE WOULD WE WOULD LIKE THE STATE DEPARTMENT TO TAKE ON
THOSE FUNDS TO DO THE WORK. SO AS LONG AS THE STATE GIVES PERMISSION AND THEY HAVE AN MOU AND THAT'S THAT IS PART OF OUR ELIGIBILITY PROCESS. THAT'S A KEY QUESTION AND SITE CONTROL AND SO WE USUALLY HAVE
APPLICANTS IDENTIFY IF THEY DON'T OWN THE LAND AND IT'S CITY OWNED LAND THEY HAVE TO GET A LETTER OF AUTHORIZATION FROM THAT CITY OR STATE DEPARTMENT IN ORDER TO DO WORK ON THAT SITE. GOTCHA. >> I JUST. KNOW THAT'S HELPFUL IN THINKING
ABOUT HOW TO SET THINGS UP FOR THE FUTURE AND WHAT MIGHT BE THE BEST WAY TO GO ABOUT THINGS . UM, SO, UH. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE I GOTTA ADMIT. BETWEEN AFFORDABLE HOUSING, HISTORIC PRESERVATION AND OPEN
SPACE AND RECREATION, OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION WOULD BE MY FAVORITE. I WOULD LOVE TO SEE NOW IS THAT ANYTHING THAT'S CHANGED BECAUSE I KNOW THERE'S THAT 5025, 25 HOW IT'S BROKEN UP BETWEEN THE THREE OF THEM.
UH, HOW EASY IT IS TO AMEND THAT IF YOU WANTED TO INCREASE MONEY FOR OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION. UH, THE COMMITTEE WOULD THE COMMITTEE WOULD MAKE THAT DECISION? >> YES, THE. COMMITTEE CAN. >> THE COMMITTEE COULD DECIDE THAT EACH FUNDING ROUND UM, BECAUSE AFFORDABLE HOUSING HAS
BEEN THE BIGGEST NEED IN THE CITY, THEY'VE ALLOCATED THE 50% TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING, BUT THEY HAVE THE OPTION EVERY FUNDING ROUND TO UM, MAKE A DECISION ON THE PERCENTAGE THAT THEY WANT TO GIVE TOWARDS EACH CATEGORY.
NO. >> AND THAT MAKES SENSE A SIGN OF THE TIMES THAT THE THE CHUNK OF THE MONEY SHOULD GO TO AFFORDABLE HOUSING AT THE MOMENT UH FOR SURE. UM BUT GOOD TO KNOW THAT IT CAN BE JUST DONE WITHIN THE COMMITTEE. WE DON'T HAVE TO GO TO ANYBODY ELSE ANY OTHER ENTITY FOR
APPROVAL OF THAT. YES. >> AS LONG AS 10% IS UM BEING MET IN EACH CATEGORY THAT IS THE REQUIREMENT. UNDERSTOOD. >> UM WELL UH. >> I JUST WANT TO SAY AGAIN I ECHO MY OTHER COLLEAGUES IN SAYING THAT UH THIS IS ALWAYS A
FUN HEARING AND GOOD TO SEE THESE SORT OF PROJECTS UM, THAT ARE SO NECESSARY AND SO REQUIRED BUT UM, KIND OF OFTEN OVERLOOKED, RIGHT? ESPECIALLY THE PRESERVATION SIDE OF THINGS OR OPEN SPACE.
SO UM IT'S REALLY GREAT TO SEE A LOT OF THESE THINGS, UH, GET UNDERWAY AND UH I HAVE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. YEAH. THANK YOU GUYS STATING CHRISTINE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH, COUNSELOR.
I ALSO WANT TO. RECOGNIZE THAT WE'VE BEEN JOINED. BY COUNCILOR COLETTA SUPPORTER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. UM NEXT. >> UP WE. HAVE COUNCILOR PRESIDENT BREADON THEN FOLLOWED BY COUNCILOR WEBER. THEN COUNCILOR SUPPORT.
THANK YOU, MR CHAIR. HI. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE. UM, THANKS TO FUNDING AND THIS INCREDIBLE CPA TEAM I THINK UH, YOU SMITH YOU SAID SMALL BUT HIGHLY EFFICIENT.
I'D SAY SMALL BUT MIGHTY. UM, YOU DO A GREAT JOB AND I THINK THIS CPA PROCESS HAS AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PEOPLE DREAM UP AND SCHEME AND COME FORWARD
WITH PROJECTS AND THEY'RE ALL VETTED AND UH, IT'S UH A GREAT WAY TO ENHANCE AND IMPROVE OUR FACILITIES ALL ACROSS THE CITY AND SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT
ARE DOING GREAT WORK IN TERMS OF MAYBE UM, FIXING UH, HISTORIC BUILDINGS OR KEEPING KEEPING SPACES MULTI-FUNCTIONAL SPACES THAT KEEPING THEM IN GOOD SHAPE FOR THE LONGER TERM.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR WORK. AND CHRISTINE, AS ALWAYS THANK YOU FOR ALL THE WORK YOU DO ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. UM I THINK I USUALLY MENTIONED THE WHOLE ISSUE ABOUT ELDERS
AND HOW WE WE NEED TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE A PLENTY OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING FOR OUR ELDERS AND I THINK THE CPA FUNDING CERTAINLY GOES SOME WAY TO DOING THAT. UM, MAYBE THIS IS MORE OF A
FORWARD LOOKING QUESTION FOR FOR CHRISTINE AND THINKING ABOUT UM ARE WE UM WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE MOST PRESSING NEED
LIKE IF WE HAVE 50% OF THE CPA FUNDS GO TOWARDS AFFORDABLE HOUSING, IS THERE A PARTICULAR SPACE WHERE WE NEED TO HAVE PRETTY KEEN ATTENTION ON AT THIS POINT OR JUST MORE LOOKING
FORWARD TO THE NEXT UH, THE NEXT TEN YEARS? UM, YEAH. >> I THINK YOU KNOW ELDERLY HOUSING IS KEY FOR US AS WELL AS SUPPORTIVE HOUSING IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US. UM, FAMILY HOUSING IS SOMETHING THAT WE'RE HEARING A LOT FROM
FOLKS AS WELL THAT FOLKS WOULD SEE MORE LIKE TO SEE MORE TWO AND THREE BEDROOMS. SO THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT AS WELL. SO YEAH WE CONTINUE TO YOU KNOW THE NEED IS GREAT. SO WE CONTINUE JUST TO PUSH
FORWARD WITH TRYING TO GET ALL KINDS OF AFFORDABLE. HOUSING THERE AS HOMEOWNERSHIP RENTAL. WE'RE EVEN LOOKING AT COOPERATIVE HOUSING AS WELL THAT WE. >> BE YEAH AND THE FAMILY HOUSING SOMETHING THAT'S NEAR AND DEAR TO MY HEART BECAUSE WE
SEE THAT A LOT IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD WHETHER IT'S YOU KNOW LOTS OF SINGLE ONE BEDROOMS ARE BUILT BUT YOU CAN'T RAISE A FAMILY IN A SINGLE BY STUDIO FOR A ONE BEDROOM. SO WE APPRECIATE THAT AS WELL. BUT THERE'S A HUGE AMOUNT
OF NEED OUT THERE. SO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. UM UH I THINK IN TERMS OF THE NEXT ROUND, THE DINNER WE STARTED TAKING UH INQUIRIES FOR
THE NEXT ROUND ALREADY AND THAT ONE ROUND GETS ROLLED UP AND READY TO GO FOR THE. NEXT ONE. YES, BECAUSE OUR ELIGIBILITY FORM UH, GOES OUT IN UM, NOVEMBER RIGHT AFTER OUR UM,
APPLICATION IS SUBMITTED. SO IT'S A ROLLING FORM. WE DO HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE ALREADY CALLING AND INTERESTED AND UM, WE'RE READY TO GET WE'RE GEARING UP FOR OUR FIRST UM INFORMATION SESSION WILL BE ON MAY 6TH WHICH IS OUR KICKOFF
MEETING. WE'VE ALSO REACHED OUT TO ALL THE CITY COUNCILORS, UM, TO DO ,UH, MEETINGS WITH YOU ALL TOGETHER AND WE'RE DOING SOME IN-PERSON MEETINGS SO WE, UM, YOU KNOW, WE ARE OUT AND READY TO GO.
EXCELLENT. >> UM, WELL, I I REALLY DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. THIS IS A I REMEMBER DOORKNOCKING AND AND UH, ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR THIS WHEN IT WAS A REFERENDUM.
SO, UM, I THINK IT'S TESTAMENT TO THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO THAT WE'RE MAKING SUCH AN IMPACT AND WE'RE WE'RE PUTTING SO MUCH MONEY IN IN IN GOOD PLACES. UM, SO THANK YOU AND UM, I'LL
BE HAPPY TO VOTE IN SUPPORT OF THIS UM, WHEN IT COMES BEFORE THE COUNCIL. THANK YOU, THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> COUNCILOR. COUNCILOR WEBER, YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. UH, AGAIN, YOU KNOW, JUST TO
REITERATE, THIS IS. ON THE YOU KNOW, MOST. POSITIVE HEARINGS WE WE HAVE, UH, TO THANK YOU FOR. ALL YOUR HARD WORK AND. FOR THE, UH, SORT OF THE GREAT THINGS YOU CAN HELP. DELIVER IN.
OUR COMMUNITIES. UM. I GUESS JUST SO. THERE'S TWO, UH. OF SENIOR HOUSING, AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, UH, PROJECTS BEING SUPPORTED IN MY DISTRICT TWO THE YOU.
KNOW. >> THE ROGERSON HOUSE, UH, AND IT'S A. 294 HYDE PARK AV. UM, I GUESS IN TERMS OF LIKE IN THE IN THE FUTURE. FOR WHEN PEOPLE COME TO MY
OFFICE OTHER. OFFICES LIKE WHAT ARE THINGS THAT IN. APPLICATIONS FOR. >> AFFORDABLE HOUSING THAT THAT STICK OUT FOR YOUR OFFICE DO WE TELL APPLICANTS TO TO TRY TO
DELIVER? UM I THINK YOU KNOW I AGAIN WE HAVE SUCH A GREAT NEED FOR EVERYTHING BUT UH WE ARE LOOKING AT FAMILY HOUSING AND ESPECIALLY IN YOUR DISTRICT WE HAVE SOME SENIOR HOUSING.
UM WE HAVE SOME GOOD SENIOR HOUSING PROJECTS BUT I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE'D LOVE TO SEE A MIX OF INCOMES AND I WOULD THINK THAT WE WANT TO SEE SOME LARGER. UNITS AS WELL. OKAY. >> AND LARGER UNITS. MEAN LIKE THREE BEDROOM TWO.
>> AND THREE BEDROOMS. YES. >> NOT JUST ALL. BE A ONE. BEDROOM STUDIO CONFERENCE. UM OKAY. AND THEN UH OH SORRY. I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY AND CPA FUNDS UNDER THE STATUTE WE CAN
SUPPORT UP TO 100% AMI OKAY. UM, OKAY. UH AND THEN DOES IT MATTER IN TERMS OF LIKE THE NUMBER OF UNITS OR UH, YOU KNOW, BOTH
OF THESE ARE SORT OF 40 PLUS UNITS IS THERE LIKE A DO YOU CARE IF IT'S JUST GOING TO BE TO 100% YOU KNOW, UH OR YOU KNOW, IF IT'S GOING TO BE 230% AM I THREE BEDROOM UNITS IS
THAT HAVE THE SAME OBVIOUSLY NEED LESS AND FUNDS THAN 40 BUT THESE ARE CERTAIN PROJECTS SIZE THAT YOU THINK IS GOOD. I WOULD SAY ON AVERAGE WOULD BE
ANYWHERE BETWEEN 25 AND YOU KNOW 100 UNITS IS A GOOD SIZE. UM MOST PROJECTS THAT ARE DOING AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEED TO GO TO THE STATE TO SEEK TAX CREDITS. SO A 25 TO 30 UNIT PROJECT WORKS WELL FOR A TAX CREDIT
PROJECT. OKAY OKAY. AND THEN I. GUESS WHAT SHOULD WE TELL PEOPLE WHO MAYBE YOU ADDRESS THIS WITH COUNCILOR FLYNN I APOLOGIZE BUT YOU KNOW FOR FOLKS WHOSE APPLICATIONS DIDN'T
GET ACCEPTED THIS YEAR LIKE WHAT TO DO THEY JUST TRY AGAIN . SHOULD THEY RETOOL THEIR PROPOSALS YOU KNOW, LIKE IF THEY REACH OUT TO MY OFFICE WOULD WHICH THEY TELL THOSE
FOLKS. SURE. >> SO FOR OPEN SPACE AND RECREATION PROJECTS DEFINITELY WE BE SURE THAT WE UM ONE WE HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH OUR APPLICANTS THAT DO NOT MOVE FORWARD FOR FUNDING.
UM WE WILL TALK TO THEM THROUGH IF THEIR APPLICATIONS HAD ANY CONCERNS THE MAJORITY OF TIME. IT'S NOT THAT THE PROJECTS HAD ANY CONCERNS BUT WE DO ENCOURAGE THEM TO REAPPLY AND SO FOLKS ARE WELCOME TO REAPPLY
FOR THE NEXT FUNDING ROUND. AGAIN OUR ELIGIBILITY FORM IS A ROLLING FORM AND THEY CAN ALWAYS REACH OUT TO THE STAFF UM IF THEY HAVE MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT THEIR SCOPE OF WORK IF THEY WANT TO TRY A DIFFERENT SCOPE OF WORK.
SO WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO REAPPLY AND THEY COULD DEFINITELY UM AND SO DEFINITELY UH COME OUT TO OUR INFORMATION SESSIONS AS WELL. THEY WANT TO LEARN MORE. >> OKAY. UM WELL I AGAIN I, I, I JUST
WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR WORK. UH, YOU KNOW, I JUST I WANT TO SAY WE'RE JOINED BY, UH, AN INTERN IN OUR OFFICE. CYRUS PATEL'S OVER THERE IS A HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT A SMALL HIGH SCHOOL.
I DON'T KNOW IF THE CHAIR HAS HEARD OF CALLED THE O'BRYANT. UH, AND THE BEST. SCHOOLS IN THE CITY. YEAH. >> UH. SO SO, UM, BRIAN ALLEN, UH. THANK YOU. I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND THANKS FOR BEING, YOU KNOW,
PROVIDING THIS AND BEING SO INFORMATIVE ABOUT AND BE READY TO ANSWER SO MANY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU COUNCILOR GOLD TIGERS UM. COUNCILOR THE FLOOR IS YOURS. THANK YOU SO MUCH CHAIR.
UM THANK YOU. BOTH SO MUCH FOR. >> YOUR WORK. REALLY TRULY. >> IT'S I JUST WANT TO ECHO EVERYTHING THEY'VE BEEN YOU'VE BEEN ON THE PHONE WITH SO MANY PEOPLE IN MY DISTRICT JUST MAKING YOURSELF ACCESSIBLE AND ENSURING THAT. THEY ARE. >> ELIGIBLE AT THE END OF THE DAY, GIVING GRACE AND HAVING
PATIENCE FOR SOME OF THESE PROJECTS TOO. SO I APPRECIATE YOU AND CHRISTINE ALWAYS LIKE YOU'RE THE BEST. SO UM AND THANK YOU FOR AUSTIN STREET. UM BUILDING B WE APPRECIATE THAT MCLEAN PLAYGROUND.
UM, IT'S RECOMMENDED HERE AND THANK YOU FOR THAT FOR I THINK. $198,000 WHICH WE'RE REALLY GRATEFUL FOR. WE GOT THAT IN THE CAPITAL BUDGET AFTER YEARS OF ADVOCACY EVEN BEFORE MY PREDECESSOR AND I THINK THE PREDECESSOR BEFORE
ME UM, FOLKS WERE CONCERNED THAT THE UH CAPITAL BUDGET FUNDS WOULDN'T HELP WITH THE RETAINING WALL. SO JUST CURIOUS TO KNOW BECAUSE THEIR APPLICATION THE HARBORVIEW NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WAS SO SPECIFIC
INTO THIS RETAINING WALL IF THAT'S WHAT IT'S, UM, GOING TO BE UTILIZED FOR. YES, THAT IS THIS THIS THIS THESE FUNDS WILL SUPPORT THE RETAINING WALL AND WORK TO SUPPORT THAT AND TO FILL THAT GAP.
THAT'S GREAT NEWS. OH MY GOODNESS BEST NEW STUFF AMAZING I LOVE THAT OKAY DO THEY KNOW THIS YET HAVE YOU. TOLD THEM. >> UM THEY SHOULD BE AWARE UM BUT WE HAVE TOLD FOLKS NOT UNTIL THERE'S A CITY
COUNCIL VOTE UM TO FORMALLY APPROVE IT. UM, BUT THEY SHOULD KNOW THAT THEY WERE RECOMMENDED FOR FUNDING. EXCELLENT. WELL THANK YOU SO MUCH I APPRECIATE THAT AND SHOUT OUT TO BARBARA KEMBALI PUEBLO WHO UM LED THAT EFFORT.
UM I HAVE MORE GENERAL QUESTIONS JUST LIKE ON AVERAGE I SEE THAT WE'VE COLLECTED OR WE'VE GIVEN OUT UM $38 MILLION PER YEAR AND ABOUT 55 PROJECTS
FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS. YES. UM, IS THIS. IS IT. >> SAFE TO SAY OR IS IT SAFE TO SAY THAT THIS WILL BE THE TREND MOVING FORWARD? I SEE IN PAST YEARS WE'VE GIVEN OUT A LITTLE LESS WE'VE YOU KNOW, UM, WHEN IT COMES TO
DOLLARS ALLOCATED AND FUND UH, PROJECTS FUNDED IS THERE ARE THERE CERTAIN QUARTERS THAT YOU HAVE TO MEET AND SORT OF PROJECTS THAT YOU HAVE TO FUND OR IS IT JUST BASED ON WHO IS ELIGIBLE AND READY TO GO?
YEAH, IT'S DEFINITELY BASED ON UM ELIGIBILITY IF THEY MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STATUTE. UM OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS WE HAVE HAD AROUND 3840 MILLION AND I WOULD SAY BECAUSE WE ALSO
HAD FUNDS REALLOCATED. SO IF PROJECTS THAT ARE COMPLETED UNDER BUDGET OR PROJECTS THAT ARE WITHDRAWN, THOSE FUNDS GET REALLOCATED TO THE NEW FUNDING ROUND AND LAST
YEAR WE DID THERE WAS THERE WAS A CUT OFF AND THE REVERTED FUNDS DIDN'T MAKE IT OVER AND SO THAT'S WHY WE HAD 32.6 MILLION AND AS YOU CAN SEE IN THE BUDGET SUMMARY THERE'S 39
MILLION AVAILABLE THIS FUNDING ROUND AND WE HAVE UH FUNDS THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLOCATED . SO THAT IS GOING TO INCREASE THAT AMOUNT THAT'S GOING TO BE AVAILABLE FOR THE NEXT FUNDING ROUND.
AND SO THE STATE USUALLY THAT DETERMINES UM ARE MATCH LIKE THERE'S A SURCHARGE THAT COMES FROM THE CITY BUT THEN THERE'S THE THE FUNDS THAT COME FROM THE TRUST FUND AND THE SURPLUS FROM THE BUDGET. SO DEPENDING ON WHAT TRUST
FUND. UM ALLOCATION IS UH FOR THE FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON AND IF THERE'S A SURPLUS THOUGH THAT WILL ADD TO THAT THE ADDITIONAL NUMBER THE SURCHARGE NUMBER AND
SO FOR NEXT YEAR IS ABOUT 39 WE DO THINK UM IT'LL STAY AROUND THAT TREND BUT WE ALSO HAVE A FUND BALANCE IN CASE IT DOES GO A LITTLE BIT LOWER AND WE CAN PULL FROM THAT RESERVE IN ORDER
TO INCREASE THE FUNDING POT AND ANY ADDITIONAL YEAR. OKAY. >> AND I APOLOGIZE IF THIS WAS MENTIONED EARLIER I WAS LATE BUT HOW MUCH DO WE COLLECT LAST YEAR? HAS THERE BEEN. ANY DECREASE OR INCREASE OR ANY
TRENDS THAT ARE WORTHY OF. TALKING ABOUT. ON THE ON THE THE SURCHARGE FOR THE CITY? YEAH. UM I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER IN FRONT OF ME BUT CAN I GET BACK TO YOU WITH THAT? SURE. >> OF COURSE I I GUESS I WOULD THROUGH THE CHAIR I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MAYBE LIKE THE PAST
FIVE YEARS. SO I THINK THAT'S UM I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT ESPECIALLY AS WE WERE DISCUSSING REVENUE UH, WITH THE MINUTE THAT I HAVE LEFT I'LL GO TO TWO SPECIFIC WELL, I WON'T TALK ABOUT THE
ORGANIZATIONS IN PARTICULAR SOME MORE TO THE GENERAL PROBLEM. THERE ARE TWO FOOD ACCESS ORGANIZATIONS THAT I KNOW THAT YOU ALL HAVE BEEN TALKING TO THAT UTILIZE AND THIS IS IN
EAST BOSTON. THEY UTILIZE NONDENOMINATIONAL CHURCHES TO. DISTRIBUTE THE FOOD AND I'M. >> TALKING. ABOUT HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE PER WEEK THOUSANDS BIWEEKLY FOR ONE OF THEM.
AND SO THEY'RE NOT UM THEY ARE NOT UH UNDER ANY SORT OF SECT AND SO THEY'RE NOT COMING FROM THE ARCHDIOCESE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT LIKE THESE CHURCHES DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY, BUT THE PROBLEM IS THAT THEY'RE
RUNDOWN AND THEY'RE NOT ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE IN WHEELCHAIRS. AND SO THERE WAS DISCUSSION ABOUT TRYING TO UTILIZE THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDS TO TRY TO MAKE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE
OR TO TRY TO AT LEAST MAKE THE BUILDING, UM, SAFE SO THAT IT DOESN'T GET CONDEMNED AND RUIN THOSE FOOD DISTRIBUTION OPERATIONS. SO JUST CURIOUS, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE SOME CONVERSATIONS
ABOUT THE LEGALITIES AROUND IT. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN SAY HERE PUBLICLY ABOUT WHERE THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE OR DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT BECAUSE THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD TALKED TO YOU? BUT I THINK IT'S BEEN A WHILE.
UM, NOT TOO SURE WE COULD HAVE SPOKEN BUT I PROBABLY DON'T REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE ORGANIZATION. UM, CPA FUNDS DO SUPPORT CHURCHES AND WE HAVE SUPPORT UH, SUPPORTED CHURCH BUILDINGS .
WE ONLY CAN FOCUS ON THE EXTERIOR OF THOSE BUILDINGS SO IF THEY HAVE ROOF WORK OR MASONRY WORK WE HAVE DONE ADA ACCESSIBILITY FEATURES OUTSIDE OF CHURCH BUILDINGS UM TO ALLOW
FOLKS UM ACCESS AND SO IT IS NOT UNCOMMON A LOT OF OUR PROJECTS HAPPEN TO BE UM YOU KNOW, CHURCHES THAT PROVIDE A LARGE SOCIAL SERVICES AND PROVIDE PUBLIC ACCESS WHETHER
THEY'RE HAVING AA MEETINGS IN THAT UM BUILDING OR FOOD DRIVES OR UM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS CAN USE IT FOR COMMUNITY MEETINGS. SO AS LONG AS THEY HAVE A
PUBLIC ACCESS AND IT'S AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC AND NOT JUST, UM, FOR THE CHURCH MEMBERS, UH, THE COMMITTEE DOES CONSIDER THOSE PROJECTS. OKAY. >> GREAT. I THAT'S A CHANGE FROM EVEN WHEN WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS
AND THIS WAS LIKE A YEAR BACK. SO I APPRECIATE THAT AND JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND YOUR TEAM UM WHO WAS HERE THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO. AND I NOTICED THAT THE NORTH END HASN'T GOTTEN ANYTHING IN A WHILE. SO LET'S CHANGE THAT AND HAVE
SOME IDEAS. BUT UM WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT LATER. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU CHAIR. THANK YOU. OKAY I'M GOING. >> TO GIVE MYSELF FIVE MINUTES OKAY. UM FOR ME THAT'S REALLY COOL TO LOOK AT THIS LIST.
BECAUSE WHEN I GOT INTO OFFICE IN 2024 I WAS ABLE TO, UM. VISIT THE CONNELLY SCHOOL PLAYGROUND AND IT WAS IT IS A VERY DETERIORATED PLAYGROUND. IT'S ONE OF THE OLDER ONES
ACROSS THE CITY AND THE FACT THAT IT'S GOING TO GET. FUNDING NOW FOR. >> A NEW PLAYGROUND. THROUGH THE CPA BECAUSE OF THE . PARENTS ADVOCACY. THINK THAT IT'S A FULL CIRCLE MOMENT FOR ME AND IT'S JUST HAPPY TO SEE HOW WHEN A LOCAL
GROUP OF PARENTS SPEAK UP AND THEY TAKE THE TAG TEAM WENT TO SCHOOL AND THEY APPLY FOR. >> THE. CPA FUNDING. UM THINGS CAN HAPPEN. AND I KNOW THAT THE KIDS ARE GOING TO REALLY. APPRECIATE THAT. SO THAT'S JUST. JUST SEEING THAT HERE IS LIKE.
A FEW A FEEL. >> GOOD STORY FOR. FOR THAT AREA OF MY DISTRICT. UM SO. THANK YOU. WHICH LEADS ME TO MY FIRST. QUESTION IS. FOR A PROJECT LIKE. THAT, WHETHER IT'S A.
PLAYGROUND RENOVATION OR ANY TYPE OF RECREATIONAL SPACE WHEN THEY WHEN THEY SUBMIT THEIR RFP TO YOU ALL THE APPLICATION TO YOU ALL HOW LONG DO WE HAVE IN
ORDER TO BE ABLE TO PUT THE SHOVELS IN THE GROUND? LIKE WHAT'S THE. PROCESS LIKE FOR A FOR A PROJECT LIKE THAT? SURE. >> SO UM A LOT OF THE PROJECTS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED HERE FOR FUNDING UH AFFORDABLE HOUSING WE GIVE THOSE PROJECTS FIVE
YEARS UM BUT ALL OF THE OTHER PROJECTS AND OPEN SPACE AND REC THEY HAVE 24 MONTH TIMELINE TO COMPLETE THEIR PROJECTS SO THEY NEED TO BE WORKING ON DESIGN AND THEN GOING INTO CONSTRUCTION. BUT WE MONITOR THE PROJECTS FOR
24 MONTHS. WE DO UNDERSTAND THAT PROJECTS RUN INTO SOME ISSUES AND CONCERNS AND THAT IS WHY WE CHECK IN WITH PROJECTS ON A MONTHLY BASIS SO WE CAN UNDERSTAND IF THINGS ARE GOING
WELL AND THEN WE CAN DECIDE IF THEY MAY NEED LIKE A 12 MONTH EXTENSION, IF THEY MAY HAVE HAD ISSUES WHEN IN CONSTRUCTION. UM BUT USUALLY IT'S A 24 MONTH TIMELINE OKAY. 24 MONTHS THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. YEAH I APPRECIATE.
THAT AND FIVE YEARS FOR FOR. >> THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT WHICH MAKES SENSE BECAUSE I. SEE PERMITTING AND HOW LONG IT TAKES TO. GET A PROJECT OFF THE GROUND. UM HEY DEAN, EARLIER YOU MENTIONED.
THAT CPA IS USUALLY FOR THE OUTSIDE OF A BUILDING FOR PRESERVATION. BUT I HAVE A QUESTION ONE. >> OF MY PROJECTS THAT ARE ON HERE THE RIVERSIDE THEATER BUILDING WHICH IS AMAZING THEATER IF SOME OF MY
COLLEAGUES REMEMBER IS WHERE WE HAD THE UM. THE THE THE CANDIDATE FORUM WHERE COUNCILOR FITZGERALD WAS JUGGLING AND I WAS SINGING IT'S THE IT'S THE ONLY IT'S THE ONLY
THEATER UH ONE OF THE OLDEST THEATERS IN MY DISTRICT BUT THEY HAVE A HUGE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUE WHERE THEY DON'T HAVE AN ELEVATOR. AND IN ORDER FOR YOU TO GO POP
YOU IT'S A QUITE STEEP SET OF. STAIRS AND WE'VE HAD WE'VE BEEN IN BACK TO BACK AND FORTH CONVERSATIONS ABOUT. >> HOW DO WE GET FUNDING FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. WOULD A PROJECT LIKE THAT QUALIFY. UNDER CPA UNDERSTANDING THAT IT
IS AN INDOOR PROJECT BUT IT IS FOR ADA ACCESSIBILITY AND FOR THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OF THE BUILDING. SO UNFORTUNATELY WE DON'T SUPPORT INTERNAL SPACES. SO BECAUSE WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP EVERYTHING BALANCED ACROSS ALL
PROJECTS, WE JUST WANT TO FOCUS ON THE EXTERIOR OF BUILDINGS. UM THE ONLY TIME WE MAY CONSIDER AN INTERNAL SPACE UNLESS IT'S UM THREAT LIKE INJURY AND HARM TO THE BUILDING
. UM BUT WE WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS TRY TO HAVE APPLICANTS. WE DO HAVE A RESOURCE LIST OF OTHER UM, HISTORIC PRESERVATION ORGANIZATIONS THAT MAY NOT HAVE THE SAME
GUIDELINES THAT THE CPA STATUTE HAS AND TRY TO CONNECT THEM TO SEE IF THOSE UM, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS CAN SUPPORT THAT INTERNAL WORK. UM, BUT WE DO TRY TO JUST FOCUS
UM, BASED ON A LEGAL GUIDANCE THAT WE'RE GIVEN TO FOCUS ON EXTERIOR SPACES. IT'S SAFER UM, AND IT'S A BALANCED APPROACH ACROSS ALL PROJECTS. OKAY. >> I APPRECIATE. THAT BREAKDOWN AND I'LL
DEFINITELY, UM, ASK YOU IF YOU COULD SHARE THE OTHER RESOURCES THAT EXIST. ABSOLUTELY THAT I CAN SHARE WITH THE THEATER. ABSOLUTELY. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. UM, AND THEN. ON A MORE GENERAL. UM, QUESTION FOR. >> YOU WHEN IS THE NEXT ROUND
OF CPA OPENING? WHEN CAN PEOPLE START APPLYING? I, I, I LITERALLY ALREADY HAVE PEOPLE. ASKING ME WHEN'S THE NEXT ROUND. SURE. >> SO OUR ELIGIBILITY FORM IS UP AND RUNNING ON OUR WEBSITE THE DEADLINE DATE IF THEY WANT
TO MAKE THE FY 27 FUNDING ROUND THEY WILL HAVE TO HAVE AN ELIGIBILITY DETERMINATION FORM WHICH IS THE FIRST STEP INTO US BY AUGUST 30TH UM BY 5 P.M. AND THAT IS THE CUTOFF.
AND SO UM IF THEY WANT TO MAKE THE FY 27 FUNDING ROUND THEY WOULD SUBMIT THAT ELIGIBILITY FORM. WE TAKE THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER TO REVIEW ELIGIBILITY FORMS AND THEN INVITE FOLKS IN TO DO AN APPLICATION AND AND THEN THE
APPLICATION IS DUE THE BUT WE GIVE THEM ABOUT FOUR TO 5 TO 6 WEEKS TO COMPLETE THE APPLICATION. UM AND THEN IT GOES OVER TO THE COMMITTEE. OKAY OKAY. BUT THE BUT ELIGIBILITY FORM IS
OPEN NOW ON OUR WEBSITE AND FOLKS CAN REACH OUT TO THE CPA STAFF IF THEY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. PERFECT. >> AND AND MAY 6TH IS OUR KICKOFF FOR OUR OUR FIRST UM MEET AND GREET. I'LL BE THERE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM, I KNOW THAT COUNCILOR CULPEPER DEFINITELY HAS A FOLLOW UP QUESTION TO ANY OF MY OTHER COLLEAGUES. HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND THEN I WANT TO MAKE SURE WE GO
TO THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY. NO. >> OKAY. >> UH, COUNCILOR CULPEPER TO. >> ASK A QUESTION. UH. AND CHRISTINE INVADING I DON'T KNOW WHICH ONE OF YOU CAN ANSWER THIS, BUT UNDER THE JM
GALSTON EQUITY ANALYSIS HOW IS THAT USED? HOW IS THAT USED? YEAH. SO WHEN THEY GIVE IT TO YOU HOW DO YOU USE THAT IS THAT USED IN DETERMINING WHO GETS FUNDED AND
HOW THEY GET FUNDED. WELL IT ACTUALLY IT IT ALLOWS THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND HOW CPA FUNDS ARE BEING USED. SO THIS PLAN IS UM WAS DESIGNED
TO HELP THE COMMITTEE REALLY DECIDE ON HOW TO ALLOCATE FUNDING EACH YEAR FOR FY 23 INTO FY 27 KEEPING EQUITY IN MIND AND KEEPING THE GOALS IN MIND.
AND AFTER EACH FUNDING ROUND WE GO BACK TO JIM GOLSON AND HAVE THEM ADD THE NEW DATA FROM THE PROJECTS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED EACH ROUND. AND SO WHAT THEY DO IS THEY CAPTURE THAT INFORMATION AND UNDER THE ORDINANCE WHERE
REQUIRED TO GIVE THAT THAT INFORMATION TO THE TO THE CITY COUNCIL AND SO DO A PART OF THEM DOING THAT EQUITY ANALYSIS IS TO SHARE WITH THE COUNCIL AND SHARE WITH EVERYONE AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC HOW
CPA FUNDS ARE BEING USED AND HOW UM IT'S BEING SPREAD ACROSS ALL NEIGHBORHOODS. >> AND SO I'M TRYING TO GET TO HOW DOES JIM GOALS AND UM DO THE EQUITY ANALYSIS HOW DO THEY COME TO THE CONCLUSION OF WHO
GETS FUNDED? WELL THEY DON'T MAKE THE DECISION OF WHO GETS FUNDED. THE NINE MEMBER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE DOES NOT . >> BUT THEY MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS RIGHT? NO, THEY DO NOT.
UM THE OUR THE THE NINE MEMBER COMMUNITY PRESERVATION COMMITTEE UM, MAKES THE RECOMMENDATION JAMES GILSON IS JUST A CONSULTANT THAT WORKS ON OUR CPA PLAN. >> NO I UNDERSTAND THAT BUT THE EQUITY ANALYSIS THE ANALYSIS
THEY DO YES IS OF WHAT. THEY CAPTURE THE IN FROM THE UM NEIGHBORHOODS THAT WE HAVE FUNDED THROUGHOUT THE LAST EIGHT YEARS AND THEY JUST PRETTY MUCH PUT THAT
INFORMATION AND TOGETHER THE COMMITTEE WHAT THE COMMITTEE DOES OVERALL WHEN THEY'RE MAKING THE RECOMMENDATIONS ON THE PROJECTS THAT COME BEFORE THEM, THEY FACTOR IN MANY THINGS WHEN THEY'RE THINKING
ABOUT UM, THE PROJECTS THAT ARE RECOMMENDED. SO WHEN THEY GET THE 84 APPLICATIONS AND ABLE TO NARROW IT DOWN TO THE 45, THEY'RE TRYING TO THINK OF BEING ABLE TO FUND PROJECTS 2 TO 3
PROJECTS IN EVERY NEIGHBORHOOD . THEY ARE ALSO LOOKING AT THE READINESS TO PROCEED. THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE SCOPE OF WORK. THEY'RE LOOKING AT THE EQUITY THE NEED IN THAT PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THEY FACTOR IN A MAJORITY OF THESE THINGS AS WELL AS THE STAFF WHEN WE'RE TALKING TO APPLICANTS AND THEIR ELIGIBILITY. AND SO THE COMMITTEE USING THE GOALS THAT ARE IN THE PLAN THEY
HAVE THEY FACTOR THAT IN AS WELL AS THEY REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS THEY REVIEW THE APPLICATIONS. STAFF DOES DO A RECOMMENDED LIST AND THE COMMITTEE ULTIMATELY HAS A DECISION ON THE PROJECTS THAT THEY WANT TO
MOVE FORWARD FOR. SO THE GOALS AND ANALYSIS IS AFTER THE DECISIONS ARE MADE AND THEY COME BACK AND THEY LOOK AT ALL THE DECISIONS THAT WERE MADE AND THE ALLOCATIONS
AND THEN THEY COMPILE ALL THAT DATA AND GIVE IT TO YOU. AND THEY UPDATE OUR THEY UPDATE OUR ANNUAL PLAN. YES. AND SO THE COMMITTEE YOU SAID THEY TRY AND BALANCE THE
EQUITIES. WHAT GOES INTO THE BALANCING OF THE EQUITIES BY THE COMMITTEE WHEN THEY MAKE THEIR DECISIONS. UM SO THEY LOOK AT YOU KNOW THE NEED OF PARTICULAR NEIGHBORHOODS ENSURING THAT YOU
KNOW SOME FOLKS MAY THINK LIKE BEACON HILL AND BACK BAY OUR NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE AFFLUENT THEY DON'T THEY MAY NOT NEED ENOUGH FUNDS BUT THEY DO AS LONG AS A PROJECT HAS A NEED AND ALSO HAS A HISTORIC
PRESERVATION NEED OUR AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEED OR RECREATION SPACE NEED THEY FACTOR THAT INTO THEIR DECISION MAKING PROCESS, UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY DO WANT TO SUPPORT
ROXBURY AND DORCHESTER BUT THEY ALSO WANT TO SUPPORT BEACON HILL AND CHARLESTOWN AND BACK BAY AND ALSO MATTAPAN AND ALL THE OTHER ALL THE OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS. UM, I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT THERE
ARE PROJECTS THAT COME IN THAT HAVE A MORE SIGNIFICANT REPAIRS THAT ARE NEEDED OR A PARTICULAR RECREATION SPACE OR PLAYGROUND THAT MAY HAVE A BIGGER NEED.
AND SO THOSE PROJECTS MAY GET A PRIORITY OVER PARTICULAR PROJECTS BECAUSE THE NEED IS JUST MORE MORE BIGGER IN TERMS OF THE SPACE MAYBE AN INJURY
HARM OR DESTRUCTION LIKE WITHOUT THESE FUNDS THAT SPACE CAN'T BE SAVED AND WE MAY THEY MAY FACTOR IN MOVING THAT PROJECT FORWARD, UNDERSTANDING THAT THE PROJECT THAT WAS NOT
RECOMMENDED COULD REAPPLY FOR CPA FUNDS. DO YOU HAVE AND THIS IS A DO YOU HAVE THE BALANCING AND THE EQUITY NEEDS IN WRITING SO THAT WE CAN LOOK AT JUST HOW THEY
WEIGHTED DECISIONS AND HOW THEY AND WHAT THEY'RE CONSIDERING? SURE. >> WE HAVE AN EVALUATION SHEET AND WE CAN ALSO UM I CAN ALSO SHARE WITH YOU THE THE DETAILED PLANS OF ALL OF THE THE GOALS AND ALL CATEGORIES THAT.
>> WOULD BE HELPFUL. YOU'RE WELCOME. >> TO THINK LOOK I'M GOING TO RUN TO ANOTHER MEETING. BUT I REALLY WANT TO. MAKE IT CLEAR HOW SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT THIS IS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON.
AND WE KNOW THAT MANY OF THE CHURCHES THAT DEPEND ON THESE FUNDS WOULD BE CRUMBLING. UM, BECAUSE THE CHURCHES DON'T HAVE THE TIME AND THEY DON'T HAVE THE OFFERING.
THEY JUST DON'T HAVE THE MONEY THAT UH THEY WOULD NEED TO KEEP THE CHURCHES FROM UM, FALLING APART. SO I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND I KNOW HOW SIGNIFICANT THIS IS
TO THE CHURCHES AND, UH, I KNOW THEY'RE EXCITED WHEN THEY GET FUNDED, BUT JUST THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT YOU DO BECAUSE IN THE CITY OF BOSTON THIS IS. LIKE I SAID.
PROBABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT PROGRAM THAT FUNDS COMMUNITY NEED. SO THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MISTER CHAIR FOR LETTING ME HAVE THE FINAL QUESTION. THANK YOU COUNCILOR.
OKAY. UH, NOW WITHOUT FURTHER ADO I WOULD LOVE TO LISTEN FROM OUR AMAZING PUBLIC. UM, SO WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS I'M GOING TO CALL THE IN PERSON TESTIMONIES FIRST AND
THEN I BELIEVE WE HAVE 11 VIRTUAL PUBLIC TESTIMONIES. UH, WHICH IS AMAZING. SO WHAT? WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, PLEASE FEEL FREE TO COME TO ONE OF THE TWO PODIUMS AND I WILL GIVE YOU TWO MINUTES OR IF YOU NEED AN
EXTRA IT'S FINE. UM, TO PROVIDE YOUR TESTIMONY. AND THE FIRST ONE WE HAVE HERE IS TEUBER AND. SO. >> GOOD AFTERNOON.
GOOD AFTERNOON. AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CPA TEAM FOR THE WONDERFUL WORK THAT THEY HAVE DONE. UM I AM A MULTI UM APPLICANT SO
I HAVE APPLIED AND MY APPLICATION DIDN'T GO THROUGH AND THEY WORKED WITH ME AND ANOTHER YEAR WENT BY AND ANOTHER YEAR AND WE'RE HERE. SO MY NAME IS TEUBER AND FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
OF DEEDS CRY. I AM HERE TODAY NOT JUST TO SUPPORT THIS FUNDING, BUT TO ASK THE CITY OF BOSTON TO MAKE A CLEAR AND INTENTIONAL DECISION. IT IS TIME FOR BOSTON TO WRAP HIS ARMS AROUND THE SUICIDE
LOSS COMMUNITY. TOO OFTEN SUICIDE LOSS IS INVISIBLE. FAMILIES GRIEVE QUIETLY. THEY CARRY SHAME THAT WAS NEVER THEIRS TO BEGIN WITH.
THEY NAVIGATE LOSS WITHOUT SPACES THAT ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR PAIN WITHOUT PLACES TO SAY WE SEE YOU. YOU MATTER AND YOU ARE NOT ALONE. THAT HAS TO CHANGE.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT INVESTMENT IN PARKS AND OPEN SPACE. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOMETHING DEEPER. WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE SPACES OF HEALING FOR
REMEMBRANCE AND FOR A COMMUNITY THAT IS CHRIST WORKING TO CREATE THE DENITA MORRIS MEMORIAL HALL PARK A SPACE ROOTED IN LOVE, LOSS AND HEALING. A SPACE FOR THOSE WHO HAVE LOST
SOMEONE TO SUICIDE AND ALSO A SPACE FOR THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING RIGHT NOW TO THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING. WE SEE YOU. THIS PARK IS ABOUT BREAKING STIGMA.
IT IS ABOUT MAKING SUPPORT VISIBLE NOT IN WHISPERS BUT OUT IN THE OPEN WHERE PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY ARE NOT ALONE AND THEY DO NOT HAVE TO HIDE WHAT THEY ARE GOING THROUGH BECAUSE
RIGHT NOW THERE ARE NOT ENOUGH PLACES IN THE CITY WHERE SUICIDE LOSS SURVIVORS OR THOSE STRUGGLING FEEL HELD. THIS PARK IS NOT JUST A PROJECT IT IS A STATEMENT.
IT SAYS THAT BOSTON RECOGNIZES SUICIDE LOSS. IT SAYS THAT BOSTON IS WILLING TO STAND WITH FAMILIES AND THOSE STILL FIGHTING TO STAY HERE NOT JUST IN CRISIS BUT IN HEALING.
AND LET ME BE CLEAR. HEALING REQUIRES SPACE. IT REQUIRES INTENTION. IT REQUIRES INVESTMENT. WE CANNOT CONTINUE TO SAY THAT WE CARE ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH WHILE OVERLOOKING THE VERY
PEOPLE WHO ARE LEFT BEHIND AFTER SUICIDE AND THOSE WHO WORK QUIETLY STRUGGLING EVERY DAY. THIS FUNDING GIVES YOU A CHANCE TO LEAD TO ENSURE THAT PROJECTS LIKE THE HOPE PARK ARE NOT JUST
AN AFTERTHOUGHT BUT A PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THAT COMMUNITIES LIKE ROXBURY ARE RESOURCED, RESPECTED AND CENTERED IN THIS WORK. IT IS TIME. TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE LOSS.
TIME TO SUPPORT THOSE WHO ARE STRUGGLING. TIME TO BREAK STIGMA PUBLICLY NOT PRIVATELY. TIME TO BUILD SPACES THAT REFLECT CARE, DIGNITY, DIGNITY
AND BELONGING. I ASKED YOU TO SUPPORT THIS FUNDING WITH AN EQUITY LENS AND A COMMITMENT TO PROJECTS THAT HOLD OUR MOST IMPACTED COMMUNITIES BECAUSE WRAPPING OUR ARMS AROUND THE SUICIDE
LOSS COMMUNITY AND THOSE STILL HERE FIGHTING IS NOT JUST THE RIGHT THING TO DO. IT IS LONG OVERDUE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU TO TOY.
UH, NEXT UP DEB MORSE. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME IS DEB MORSE AND I'M WITH HEBREW SENIOR LIFE. UM. >> I'D LIKE TO THANK THE CITY FOR ITS SUPPORT OF OUR 78 UNIT
AFFORDABLE SUPPORTIVE HOUSING COMMUNITY THAT WE INTEND TO DEVELOP ON OUR FLAGSHIP CAMPUS IN ROSLINDALE. OLDER ADULTS WHO LIVE HERE WILL BENEFIT FROM OUR WRAPAROUND SERVICE PACKAGE AND ALL THAT
HEBREW SENIOR LIFE HAS TO OFFER . THE INVESTMENT OF CPA FUNDS IS CRITICAL TO THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS PROJECT. I'D LIKE TO THANK YOU COUNCILOR PEPPER AND COUNCIL, THE WEBER COUNCIL PRESIDENT
BREEN AND OF COURSE THE CITY OF BOSTON CPA COMMITTEE AND THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF HOUSING. UM AMAZING STAFF SUPPORT STAFF ADVICE AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE THROUGHOUT THE PROJECT'S UH, PLANNING STAGE.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU. UH, NEXT UP, JEFFREY CUNNINGHAM.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME IS JEFFREY GARNEAU. I'M AN DORCHESTER RESIDENT WITH ALLERGIES. UH, AND UH I'M A MEMBER OF THE BOSTON LANDMARKS COMMISSION AND ALSO MORE IMPORTANTLY THE VICE PRESIDENT OF THE DORCHESTER
HISTORICAL SOCIETY. SO I'M HERE IN MY PERSONAL CAPACITY AS A PRESERVATION CONSULTANT WHO HAS WORKED WITH A NUMBER OF, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION GRANT RECIPIENTS OVER THE YEARS TO JUST OFFER A COUPLE OF GENERAL COMMENTS
ABOUT THE PROGRAM. SO FIRST OF ALL, OF COURSE WE HAVE TO THANK THE DEAN BROWN AND ALL THE STAFF FOR THE AMAZING WORK THEY DO. I WORK WITH A LOT OF OTHER FOUNDATION FUNDERS AND TYPICALLY IT'S A SORT OF BLACK
BOX WHERE YOU PUT YOUR APPLICATION IN AND IN THREE OR 4 OR 5 MONTHS YOU GET A RESPONSE WITHOUT ANY OTHER FURTHER CONTACT AND CPA STAFF IS THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. THEY ARE VERY HEAVILY INVOLVED WITH ALL ASPECTS OF YOUR
PROJECT THROUGHOUT THE PRESERVATION PLANNING PROCESS, BUT ALSO THROUGH THE APPLICATION REVIEW PROCESS AND THEN THE FOLLOW UP IS AMAZING. SO I THINK WE HAVE TO AT LEAST ACKNOWLEDGE HOW SPECIAL THAT IS
AND UNUSUAL IT IS IN THE WORLD OF PRESERVATION FUNDING. UM THIS IS ALSO TIME FOR MY ANNUAL UH PITCH FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION IN GENERAL. UM AND TO TALK BRIEFLY ABOUT
WHAT A GAME CHANGER CPA HAS BEEN IN FUNDING HIGH QUALITY HISTORIC PRESERVATION PROJECTS IN ALL OF BOSTON'S NEIGHBORHOODS. AND I THINK THAT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT BEFORE CPA WAS
ADOPTED IN BOSTON, THERE WAS PRECIOUS LITTLE FUNDING AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT PRESERVATION IN BOSTON, MEANING THAT THERE HAVE BEEN GENERATIONS OF DEFERRED INVESTMENT IN OUR HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE IN THE CITY AND
THAT WE'RE FINALLY GETTING A LITTLE BIT OF A LEG UP THROUGH THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT CPA HAS MADE TO PRESERVATION WORK. UM, I ALWAYS LIKE TO SAY THAT I COULD PRIOR TO CPA COULD COUNT ON ONE HAND THE NUMBER
OF RELIABLE SOURCES THERE WERE FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION FUNDING. UM, YOU KNOW, SOME OF THEM THE BROWN FUND WHICH THE CITY ADMINISTERS, THE GEORGE B HENDERSON FOUNDATION, THE AMELIA PEABODY CHARITABLE TRUST, UM MOST NOTABLY THE
MASSACHUSETTS HISTORIC COMMISSION'S PRESERVATION PROJECTS FUND WHICH WE WERE VERY EXCITED THIS YEAR WHEN AFTER ABOUT A DECADE OF HOLDING THEIR FUNDING AT ABOUT 780 TO
$800,000 A YEAR, THEY WENT UP TO $1 MILLION A YEAR WHICH THEY HAVE TO SHARE AMONG ALL 351 COMMUNITIES IN THE STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS. SO 351 COMMUNITIES GET TO SHARE
A TOTAL OF $1 MILLION. THAT WAS ONE OF OUR BIG SOURCES UNTIL CPA HAPPENED IN BOSTON. SO THIS WORK UM, THE CPA IS ALLOWING US TO DO IS REALLY
IMPORTANT AND IT'S OCCURRING IN A LEVEL THAT WE'VE NEVER HAD ACCESS TO FOR. SO I ADVOCATE KEEPING THIS, UH, HISTORIC PRESERVATION PERCENTAGE OF CPA FUNDING AT AT
LEAST 25%. UH AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THERE SIMPLY ARE VERY FEW OTHER SOURCES FOR THIS WORK. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU FOR DEAN AND ALL THE CPA STAFF AND WE REALLY APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU DO. THANK YOU JEFF.
YEAH I WAS GLAD TO SEE THE HYDE PARK HISTORICAL SOCIETY ON THERE AS WELL. TO GET THE FUNDING. UM NEXT UP ELIZABETH KING. AND THEN AFTER IT WILL BE JEAN
CLARK. >> SO GET READY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. MY NAME IS ELIZABETH KING 23 GRANDMA ROAD IN BRIGHTON. I'M CALLING OR I'M TALKING
ABOUT THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT FUNDING FOR A BRIGHTON ALLSTON CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN BRIGHTON. HONORABLE MEMBERS I WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK IN FAVOR OF FUNDING
AND THANK YOU FOR FUNDING THE REPAIRS AND UPGRADES TO THIS. CHURCH WHICH. UM, SITS IN THE MIDDLE OF BRIGHTON CENTER BY THE MAIN CROSSROADS. I HAVE LIVED IN BRIGHTON AND A HOUSE FIVE BLOCKS FROM.
BACK TO. SINCE 1983. I HAVE WALKED BY IT 4 OR 5. DAYS A WEEK. ALL THOSE YEARS GOING TO AND FROM WORK. AND SHOPPING.
I DIDN'T BEGIN TO ATTEND AND BECOME A MEMBER UNTIL 2017, SO MY EARLIER OBSERVATIONS WERE NOT BIASED BY CONNECTION TO THE CHURCH. BRIGHTON CENTER WHEN I MOVED IN HAD FEW STORES AND.
LOTS OF BOARDED UP STOREFRONTS . OVER THE YEARS IT HAS IMPROVED AND NOW IT HAS. LOTS OF FOOT TRAFFIC. >> BRIGHTON MARINA MAIN STREETS FUNDED BY THE CITY HAS HAD A LOT TO DO WITH THAT. IF I MAY.
>> I WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND KUDOS TO MRS. ROSIE HANLON FOR HER TIRELESS WORK WHILE SHE WAS DIRECTOR OF MAIN STREET. SHE IS NOW THE DIRECTOR OF THE JACKSON MANN COMMUNITY CENTER
IN ALLSTON AND IS LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING A SIMILAR WORK . EXCELLENT JOB IN A NEW CONSTRUCTIVE ALLSTON COMMUNITY CENTER. DURING MY TRIPS TO BRIGHTON CENTER ONE OF THE BRIGHT SPOTS
. WAS ALWAYS THE CHURCH. THERE WERE LARGE INSPIRATIONAL BANNERS IN FRONT AND A LARGE ROW OF FLOWERS ALONG THE FENCE IN THE WELL-KEPT FRONT YARD AND
ALSO THE SIDE YARD YOU SAY WAS AND IS WELL KNOWN THROUGHOUT BRIGHTON EVEN IF YOU'VE NEVER STEPPED FOOT INTO THE SANCTUARY ,YOU KNOW ABOUT THE CHURCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CENTER WITH
THE STEEPLE THE CHURCH WHERE. >> THEY. HAVE FREE MEALS EVERY WEDNESDAY, THE CHURCH WHERE THE. HISTORICAL SOCIETY AND THE LITERARY CLUB MET. TODAY'S COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
IS AS ALWAYS DRIVEN BY THE CONGREGATION'S CHRISTIAN MISSION. WE PRAY FOR AND FOR THOSE IN NEED BOTH SPIRITUAL AND PHYSICAL NEED. CURRENT SERVICES ARE A
CONTINUATION OF PARTICIPATION IN THE LIFE OF BRIGHTON SINCE AT LEAST THE 1940S WHEN IT PROVIDED SERVICES FOR THE RETURNING VETERANS. OVER THE YEARS ONE PART OF THAT
BUILDING HAS BEEN USED AS A KINDERGARTEN FOR DISABLED CHILDREN THE TEMPORARY LIBRARY WHILE ANOTHER BRIGHTON LIBRARY WAS BEING REBUILT AND MOST RECENTLY A THRIFT STORE.
THE THRIFT STORE IS BELOVED BY COMMUNITY MEMBERS AS A SOCIAL GATHERING PLACE AS WELL AS A STORE WHERE YOU CAN BUY VERY LONG ITEMS. THE THRIFT STORE IS ALSO A BOON TO AREA STUDENTS.
BUILDINGS OF. >> COURSE ARE SUBJECT TO WEAR AND TEAR BACK NEEDS REPAIRS LIKE ALL BELOVED WELL USED BUILDINGS FOR SAFETY OF THE MANY PEOPLE THAT ENGAGE IN THE
PROGRAMS AND ALSO FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF THOSE WHO ARE PASSING BY. AND FOR. >> ALL THESE REASONS I AM THANKFUL FOR BACK SEATS THAT BACK WAS CHOSEN FOR A CPA GRANT . THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. UM JEAN CLARK. GOOD AFTERNOON. MY NAME. >> IS. JEAN CLARK AND I'M THE CLERK. FOR THE BRIAN AUSTIN
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH. I'D LIKE TO EXTEND OUR GRATITUDE. AND GRATEFUL. APPRECIATION FOR THE. COMMUNITY PRESERVATION. ACCESS GRANT IN THE RESTORATION . >> OF. THE FRONT. >> OF THE CHURCH. THE CHURCH IS A LANDMARK IN THE. HEART OF. >> BRIGHTON CENTER. WHERE IT CAN. >> BE SEEN. BY TRAVELERS PASSING THROUGH TO
NEWTON. WATERTOWN AND BACK. THROUGH TO BOSTON. IT SERVES A. HUGE FOOD PANTRY EVERY WEEK IN ADDITION TO. TWICE A. >> MONTH A FOOD. DISTRIBUTION WHICH FEEDS
ANYWHERE FROM 100 TO 200. FAMILIES DEPENDING ON THE MONTH AND THE YEAR. AND THE AWESOME BRAIN AREA. WHAT A LOT. OF FOOT TRAFFIC COMES THROUGH TO THE CHURCH.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO RESTORE THE STEEPLE AND THE FRONT OF THE CHURCH SO. >> IT WILL. CONTINUE TO SERVE THIS VERY IMPORTANT. MISSION IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD. ADDITIONALLY, IT IS THE ONLY PLACE. IN THE BRIGHTON CENTER THAT HAS. >> A. GREEN SPACE STORE.
UH AND RESTORING THE FRONT. >> OF THE CHURCH WILL. >> ADD BEAUTY TO. THIS GREEN. SPACE THAT PEOPLE LOVE TO SIT IN. THANK YOU AGAIN. >> TO THE COMMUNITY PRESERVATION AND. THE COUNSELORS. >> THANK YOU. JEAN.
UM NEXT UP GABRIEL COURIER AND THEN AFTER IT WILL BE JANICE MCMANUS.
GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE. I STAND HERE ON BEHALF OF THE FIRST ASIAN BAPTIST CHURCH OF BOSTON, UH, ACCOMPANIED BY
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DEACONS FOR THE UM, UH, CHURCH IS LOCATED AT 27 BLUE AND HAVE IN YOUR BOSTON, MASS.
WE ARE HERE TO EXPRESS, UH, DEEPEST GRATITUDE TO THE CPA TEAM LED BY THE DEAN. WELL, THE CITY COUNCIL AND THE
MAYOR'S OFFICE FOR THEIR AND LIVE IN SUPPORT TO THIS PROGRAM. OUR CHURCH WAS ON THE VERGE OF LOSING ITS STRUCTURES DUE
THE IMMINENT COLLAPSE OF THE WEST WALL. WE DON'T NEED THE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO UNDERTAKE THE
NECESSARY REPAIRS. THE WORKS WERE FALLING AND OUR NEIGHBORS TOOK THEM OUT TO 1010 MILES OF FILE IN THE COMPLEX.
MIRACULOUSLY. OUR PLEASE WERE ANSWERED AND DISAPPEARED TEAM STEPPED AND TO
PROVIDE THE ASSISTANCE. WE DEEPLY WE DESPERATELY NEEDED TODAY. UH CONGREGATION AND OUR NEIGHBORHOOD ARE SAFE AND
SOUND. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE YOU KNOW CPA TEAM FOR WHAT YOU HAVE BEEN DOING FOR OUR COMMUNITY, OUR NEIGHBORHOOD.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU SO MUCH GABRIEL. UM NEXT WE HAVE JANICE MCMANUS. NO COMMENTS AT THIS TIME. NO COMMENT. OKAY.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. UM. HOW ABOUT. BRIDGET WALLACE AND THEN AFTER BRIDGET WILL BE ROBERT. ROBERT.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON. UM, MY NAME IS BRIDGET WALLACE. I AM THE. FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF UH, G-CODE. UM, AND I JUST WANTED TO REALLY
,UH. GIVE A HEARTFELT THANK YOU TO THE DEAN AND HER TEAM. THEY ARE FANTASTIC. >> I'VE NEVER ENCOUNTERED. A DEPARTMENT IN CITY. >> HALL THAT IS SO THOROUGH. UM, BUT IT'S THOROUGH WITH CARE. UM, AND THEY REALLY.
UH, EXUDE THAT, SO THANK YOU. UM. >> AGAIN, AS I SAID, MY NAME IS BRIDGET WALLACE, FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. OF G-CODE. I'M HERE TODAY IN. STRONG SUPPORT OF. G-CODE AND THE FULL SLATE
OF ORGANIZATIONS SEEKING CPA FUNDING AT A TIME. >> WHEN THE. >> JOB. MARKET IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY. COMPETITIVE, ESPECIALLY IN THE WORLD OF AI. IMPLICATIONS ON TECHNOLOGY. IT'S CRITICAL THAT WE INVEST IN
PATHWAYS. >> FOR THOSE WHO HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN LEFT OUT. AT G-CODE. WE ARE BUILDING. THOSE PATHWAYS FOR WOMEN. PARTICULARLY THOSE FROM MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. TO ACCESS. CAREERS IN FUTURE.
IN THE FUTURE OF WORK. WE ARE ALREADY SEEING WHAT. >> IS POSSIBLE. ONE OF OUR ALUMNI. MARIA IS NOW AN AI PRODUCT. MANAGER AT MICROSOFT. ANOTHER PARTICIPANT, TAYLOR
CREATED A WEB DEVELOPMENT. CAPSTONE PROJECT. THAT WAS FEATURED IN A NATIONAL BLACK. GAMERS NEWSLETTER REACHING OVER 10,000 PEOPLE. CPA FUNDING IS NOT JUST ABOUT
PRESERVING SPACE. IT IS ABOUT CREATING OPPORTUNITY. THE G-CODE HOUSE WILL BE A PLACE WHERE WOMEN CAN. LIVE. >> LEARN AND BUILD SUSTAINABLE CAREERS. THAT STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITIES .
IF WE WANT AN EQUITABLE ECONOMIC. RECOVERY AND A RESILIENT BOSTON. WE MUST INVEST. IN BOTH PEOPLE AND PLACE. I URGE YOU TO. SUPPORT G-CODE AND ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTED. HERE TODAY.
THANK YOU. WE ARE UNDER THE HISTORIC PRESERVATION UM SLATE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. >> UM. >> ROBERT PALMER. >> SO.
>> HELLO. >> MY NAME IS ROBERT BONNAR. I LIVE IN BRIGHTON AND FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS I'VE BEEN WORKING AT THE. UH. >> BRIGHTON CHURCH AND THE FOOD PANTRY.
I'M A GREETER FROM 2 TO 6 P.M. ON WEDNESDAYS. AND I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU ORGANIZATION FOR, UM, FUNDING THE CHURCH RESTORATION PROJECT
WHICH WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO SERVE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE. UM. >> FOR THE BENEFIT OF OF OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY. UM. >> I ALSO WANT TO THANK COUNCILOR BREEDEN AND COUNCILOR PEPEN. UM.
>> AS WELL AS THE SPENCER PRESERVATION GROUP THAT HELPED WITH OUR OUR APPLICATION AND UM, AS YOU KNOW, WE'VE APPLIED THREE TIMES AND UM, FINALLY THIS TIME IT'S GOING TO BE
FUNDED. SO THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU. UH. >>, OKAY. I BELIEVE THAT IS IT FOR IN-PERSON TESTIMONY AND I'M
GOING TO ASK KARISHMA. FOR, UM, VIRTUAL TESTIMONY. OH, THERE WE GO. OKAY. ONLY THE ONE AGREED.
OKAY. OKAY, SO FOR THOSE TESTIFYING ON ZOOM, PLEASE ACCEPT THE MESSAGE ASKING YOU TO BE PROMOTED TO PANELISTS WHEN IT APPEARS. THEN FIRST NAME ON THE LIST WE
HAVE IS KYLE ROBERTS. THEN WE'LL BE FOLLOWED BY REGGIE JEAN, NANCY LOWE, REVEREND JONES, JEREMY VIEIRA AND REVEREND JOHN AD OF ODOMS.
SO KYLE ROBERTS IS FIRST. YOU HAVE TWO. YOU WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES. GREAT. >> THANK YOU SO MUCH COUNCILORS I THANK YOU, UH, AND THE. STAFF AT THE COMMUNITY. PRESERVATION ACT FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO TESTIFY TODAY.
I'M SORRY I COULDN'T BE THERE IN PERSON. AS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE CONGREGATIONAL LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES HERE ON BEACON STREET. MY PLEASURE TO SPEAK TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF OUR PROPOSED
ARCHIVAL PROJECT. WE'RE REQUESTING FUNDING TO PROCESS, DIGITIZE AND MAKE ACCESSIBLE RARE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY RESOURCES FROM THE CITY MISSION SOCIETY AND
SEAFARERS FRIENDS SOCIETY, TWO OF BOSTON'S OLDEST BENEVOLENT ORGANIZATIONS. FOR TWO CENTURIES CITY MISSION AND SEAFARERS FRIENDS TOUCHED THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS BOSTONIANS, MANY OF WHOM WERE
FORCED TO LIVE ON THE CITY'S MARGINS BECAUSE OF THEIR RACE, GENDER, SEXUALITY, OCCUPATION OR ECONOMIC STATUS. CITY MISSION AND SEAMEN'S FRIENDS SOCIETY WERE FORMED IN
THE EARLY 1800S IN RESPONSE TO THE RAPID URBANIZATION OF BOSTON AND THE GROWTH OF THE CITY'S MARITIME INDUSTRIES. THESE ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT, HEALTH CARE AND HOUSING FOR THE MOST
DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN, SINGLE AND WIDOWED WOMEN, SAILORS AND IMMIGRANT LABORERS. TOO OFTEN THE ONLY HISTORIC TRACE OF MANY SUCH 19TH AND 20TH CENTURY BOSTONIANS IS IN THE ARCHIVAL RECORDS
OF BENEVOLENT ORGANIZATIONS WHICH OFFERED SUPPORT WHEN NO ONE ELSE WOULD. BOSTONIANS TODAY DESERVE ACCESS TO LEARN ABOUT THE STORIES OF THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE THEM. THESE RECORDS NEED TO BE FREELY
ACCESSIBLE ONLINE AND NOT BEHIND A PAYWALL LIKE ON SO MANY COMMERCIAL GENEALOGY SITES. WE HAVE A SMALL STAFF HERE AT THE CONGREGATIONAL LIBRARY AND WE RELY ON EXTERNAL FUNDING TO UNDERTAKE BIG PROJECTS LIKE
THIS. CPA FUNDS WILL ALLOW US TO HIRE A PROCESSING ARCHIVIST TO PROCESS, DIGITIZE AND THEN MAKE FREELY ACCESSIBLE ALL OF THIS ON OUR ONLINE DIGITAL ARCHIVE.
AS WE ALL LOOK FORWARD TO BOSTON'S 400TH ANNIVERSARY UH, IN 2030 MAKING THE RECORDS OF THE CITY MISSION SOCIETY AND SEAFARERS FRENCH SOCIETY FREELY ACCESSIBLE IS GOING TO BE A
CORNERSTONE OF THE CONGREGATIONAL LIBRARY'S CONTRIBUTION AND WE CAN ONLY DO THAT WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE CPA. IT WILL ENSURE THAT THE LIVES OF THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVED ON THE MARGINS ARE MOVED TO THE CENTER OF THE STORY THAT WE
COMMEMORATE. SO THANK YOU ALL AGAIN FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO OUR EVER EVOLVING UNDERSTANDING OF BOSTON'S RICH HISTORY AND THE WAYS THAT YOU ARE ALL SUPPORTING THAT WORK.
THANK YOU KYLE. OKAY NEXT UP WE HAVE REGGIE JEAN. GREETINGS EVERYONE. GOOD AFTERNOON TO THE CITY COUNCIL. UM AND. TEAM ON CPA. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED
SUPPORT. I TOO AM A JOHN D O'BRIEN ALONE. UM, SO AGAIN THANK YOU. UM, I'M THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HALEY HOUSE. UM, WE'VE BEEN AROUND FOR 60
YEARS AS A NONPROFIT LOCATED IN THE SOUTH END FOCUSED ON FOOD JUSTICE, HOMELESSNESS. UM, IN THE SOUTH END AND ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY. WE WERE FOUNDED BY KATHY AND JOHN MCKENNA.
UM, AND OUR WORK IS SUSTAINED OVER THE LAST SIX DECADES, UM, BY AN AMAZING GRASSROOTS NETWORK OF SUPPORTERS ALLOWING US TO STEADILY GROW OUR EFFORTS IN THE SOUTH END AND ROXBURY.
UM HALEY HOUSE WAS THE FIRST HOMELESS SERVICE ORGANIZATION IN BOSTON TO TRANSITION PERMANENT HOUSING UM, TRANSITION FOLKS FROM HOMELESSNESS TO PERMANENT HOUSING. AND TODAY OUR ORGANIZATION HAS
A PORTFOLIO OF 110 UNITS OF PERMANENT AFFORDABLE HOUSING. 26 OF THOSE ARE, UM SINGLE ROOM OCCUPANCY UNITS. HALEY HOUSE ALSO RUNS A SOUP KITCHEN THAT OPERATES SIX DAYS
A WEEK IN URBAN FARM IN ROXBURY AND COOKING. UM NUTRITIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAMING. WHILE MANY OF YOU MAY ALSO KNOW OUR ORIGINAL HALEY HOUSE BAKERY CAFE UM WHICH IS SLATED TO OPEN
REOPEN LATER AGAIN THIS SUMMER . UM I SHARE ALL OF THIS TO HIGHLIGHT THE CRITICAL ROLE THAT HALEY HOUSE HAS COME TO HOLD NOT JUST IN THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD, UM, BUT THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON.
HALEY HOUSE IS A MID-SIZED NONPROFIT THAT PRIMARILY RELIES ON INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS VOLUNTEERS. UM, WE'VE BEEN GRATEFUL FOR PAST SUPPORT OF THE CITY THROUGH CPR ON THE COMMUNITY
PRESERVATION ACT TO UNDERTAKE A LOT OF, UM, WORK THAT, YOU KNOW, AS AN ORGANIZATION ALONE CAN'T SUSTAIN. UM. >> OUR PROJECT IS TO SUPPORT THE DETERIORATING ROOF AT OUR
23 DARTMOUTH LOCATION AND CHIMNEY, UM, WHICH HAS CAUSED LEAKS, WATER DAMAGE THREATENING RESIDENTS SAFETY. UM, AND OUR LIVING COMMUNITY PROGRAM CONTINUITY AND THE INTEGRITY OF THE HISTORIC
BUILDING. UM, IMMEDIATE REPAIRS ARE ESSENTIAL TO PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE AND DISRUPTION OF THE VITAL SERVICES. HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN NUMEROUS PAST UM ROUNDS OF THE CPA FUNDING.
UM WE'RE EXCITED FOR THIS OPPORTUNITY AND PRESERVING 23 DARTMOUTH WILL PROTECT A CORNERSTONE COMMUNITY RESOURCE AND SUSTAIN HALEY HOUSE'S MISSION OF HOSPITALITY, HOSPITALITY, JUSTICE AND
COMMUNITY FOR YEARS TO COME. THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR CONSIDERATION. THANK YOU SO MUCH REGGIE. GO TIGERS!
UM NEXT UP WE HAVE NANCY LOWE.
AND NANCY, CAN YOU HEAR US? HI. >> CAN YOU HEAR ME? YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW. OKAY. >> THANK YOU. JUST A LITTLE TECHNICAL, UH.
JUGGLE DIFFICULTIES. YEAH. >> THAT'S OKAY. UM, WE CAN HEAR YOU NOW. CLEAR. AND YOU HAVE TWO MINUTES. OKAY, GREAT. THANK YOU. I'M HERE TO PROVIDE, UM, TESTIMONY ON BEHALF OF THE
CHINESE CONSULATE BENEVOLENT ASSOCIATION FOR AN OPEN SPACE GRANT. UM, UH, THAT WILL ALLOW US TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS, UM, TO THE
FORMER GIRLS ENTRANCE THAT LIES, UM, ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING. UM, OUR BUILDING WAS, UH, ADMITTED INTO THE NATIONAL REGISTRY IN 2017 AND WE'VE BEEN
ABLE TO RECEIVE CPA FUNDING IN THE PAST TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO OUR FACILITY, WHICH IS A COMMUNITY CENTER THAT, UM, PROVIDES UH, PROGRAMS TO THIS IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY.
UM, AND WE'RE HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE COME TO THE FACILITY EACH DAY. UM, THIS GRANT WILL ALLOW US TO, UM, MAKE A SMALL PARK A
RECREATIONAL AREA, UH, FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY THE OUTDOORS AND ALSO TO ESCAPE THE, UH, URBAN HEAT. UM, AS YOU MAY KNOW, CHINATOWN IS ONE OF THE DENSEST
COMMUNITIES IN, UH, THE CITY WHERE, UM, A LOT OF PEOPLE, ESPECIALLY IMMIGRANTS COME FOR THE SERVICES THAT ARE CULTURALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY UM, APPROPRIATE.
UM, WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO RECEIVE PREVIOUS EPA GRANTS. WE RECEIVED ONE LAST YEAR FOR HISTORIC PRESERVATION WHICH ALLOWED US TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS GIRL'S ENTRANCE. UH, WE WERE ABLE TO OPEN UP
THIS AREA. UM, SINCE WE HAD STORED HVAC EQUIPMENT IN THE PAST AND WE MOVED IT UPSTAIRS TO THE ROOF, UH, WHICH ALLOWED US TO BRING
BACK THE, UH, FORMER GIRLS ENTRANCE AND RESTORE, UH, UM, THE BEAUTY OF THE EXTERIOR. UH, THE GRANT ALSO THAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR, UH, THEY
MOVED US TO DO SOME STRUCTURAL REPAIRS TO THE FOUNDATION WHICH HAS BEEN UM DECAYING. AND THIS ALLOWED US TO ALSO IMPROVE OUR ACCESSIBILITY.
UM, SO WE ARE, UM, HAPPY TO BE RECOMMENDED FOR THIS. I WANT TO THANK THE CPA STAFF AND CITY COUNCIL FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND WE LOOK FORWARD UM, AND WORKING WITH THEM IN THE FUTURE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU NANCY. OKAY NEXT UP WE HAVE REVEREND
JONES. HELLO. >> UH. MR CHAIR AND, UH, COUNSELORS AND. UM.
>> CPA TEAM. UM. I APPRECIATE. >> THIS. OPPORTUNITY TO SEE IF A PREACHER CAN ACTUALLY SPEAK FOR TWO MINUTES OR LESS. I'M VERY EXCITED FOR THIS. UH, EXERCISE. MY NAME IS COURTNEY JONES. I AM THE VERY NEW LEAD PASTOR
AND FEATURE OF HOPE CENTRAL CHURCH IN JAMAICA PLAIN. AND IT IS SUCH A JOY TO BE WITH YOU ON THIS, UH. EXTRA SPECIAL DAY.
UM, I'M ALSO SO HONORED TO BE AMONG THE MANY FANTASTIC ORGANIZATIONS DOING INSPIRATIONAL PROJECTS IN THIS TIME WHEN SO MANY PEOPLE NEED SUPPORT AND MORE IMPORTANTLY HOPE. UH IT'S BEEN REALLY
INSPIRATIONAL TO HEAR EVERYONE SPEAK AND I FEEL, UM, HUMBLED TO BE AMONG YOUR RANKS. UH, WE ARE ACTUALLY ONE OF THOSE CHURCHES RECOMMENDED FOR MAKING THE EXTERIOR OF OUR
BUILDING ADA COMPLIANT. UH. >> TO BUILD A RAMP FOR ADA ACCESSIBILITY. I AM SPEAKING IN FAVOR OF THE ACCEPTANCE OF THE RECOMMENDED SLATE OF PROJECTS FOR CPA FUNDING, INCLUDING HOPE CENTRAL
CHURCH BEFORE MERGING WITH HOPE CHURCH TO CREATE HOPE CENTRAL. CENTRAL CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH SPENT YEARS FEELING LIKE THE BUILDING WAS A WEIGHT AROUND THEIR NECKS, DRAGGING THEM DOWN
AND INHIBITING THEIR CAPACITY FOR REAL MINISTRY. THE BUILDING WAS OLD, THE FURNACE WAS UNRELIABLE. UPKEEP WAS EXPENSIVE DESPITE THE BEST EFFORTS OF CHURCH MEMBERS TO INCREASE THEIR
GIVING AND KEEP SPENDING TO A MINIMUM, THEY HAD GIVEN UP THEIR POTENTIAL IMPACT ON THE COMMUNITY FOR THE SAKE OF KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON. SINCE ITS FOUNDING, HOPE CENTRAL CHURCH HAS DEVOTED ITSELF TO WORKING FOR JUSTICE
IN THE WORLD AND WELCOMING THOSE ON THE MARGINS THOSE WHO NEED A SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY OR A SAFE GATHERING SPACE OR A BASE FROM WHICH TO SERVE THE NEEDS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD BOTH IN OUR
CONGREGATIONAL IN OUR CONGREGATIONS PROGRAMS INCLUDING OUR WORSHIP AND OUR RENTAL RELATIONSHIPS. WE HAVE BUILT SIGNIFICANT CONNECTIONS UM, WITH THOSE
ORGANIZATIONS AND WITH OUR SISTER CONGREGATION INCLUSIVE SPANNING THE COMUNIDAD UH AS WELL AS ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT LGBTQIA+ RIGHT EQUITY WORK ACROSS RACE AND CLASS.
BUSINESSES THAT OFFER REDUCED TUITION PROGRAMS SO THAT THEY ARE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO PEOPLE WHO MIGHT NOT OTHERWISE BE ABLE TO AFFORD THE EDUCATION OR SERVICES THEY OFFER. THESE ARE SOME OF THE PLACES
WHERE WE HAVE PUT OUR RESOURCES . UH EACH TIME WE ARE ABLE TO FIND SPACE FOR DESERVING ORGANIZATIONS. WE ARE SO PROUD OF WHAT OUR BUILDING MAKES POSSIBLE, WHICH
IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL CHANGE FROM HOW THE BUILDING WAS ONCE USED . AND WE ARE SO GRATEFUL THAT BY USING OUR BUILDING WELL WE ARE BETTER ABLE TO CARE FOR IT FOR
THE BUILDING ITSELF WITHOUT COMPROMISING OUR CALL TO DO JUSTICE IN THE WORLD BEYOND OUR WALLS. . AND FOR EVERY TRIUMPH THERE HAS ALWAYS BEEN A TWINGE. IT'S NEVER FAR FROM MY MIND
THAT A CHURCH BUILDING'S DESIGN COMMUNICATES SOMETHING ABOUT WHO DESERVES TO ACCESS SACRED SPACES UH, AND EVEN WHO DESERVES TO ACCESS THE DIVINE. HAVING FRIENDS WITH PHYSICAL
DISABILITIES, I'VE WITNESSED FIRSTHAND THE STRANGE AND UNDIGNIFIED OPTIONS THAT HAVE BEEN FLOATED TO TRY TO HELP THEM INTO INACCESSIBLE. SPACES LIKE. OUR BUILDING.
BY PROXY, I HAVE ONLY THEN THE SMALLEST INSIGHTS INTO THE KINDS OF BARRIERS THAT EXIST FOR PEOPLE WITH PHYSICAL DISABILITIES AS WELL AS THE KINDS OF CONVERSATIONS THEY
HAVE TO ENDURE JUST FOR THEIR NEEDS TO BE MET FOR ALL THE GOOD OUR BUILDING FACILITATES. THE IMPOSSIBLE HURDLE HAS BEEN FIGURING OUT HOW TO BUILD AN ADA COMPLIANT RAMP. THERE WASN'T ENOUGH MONEY. WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT HOW TO
PLAN IT WITH OUR LIMITED KNOWLEDGE, AND THIS CPA GIFT WOULD MAKE THE IMPOSSIBLE POSSIBLE. PHYSICAL ACCESSIBILITY OPENS A
WHOLE NEW WORLD OF OPPORTUNITY FOR CONNECTION, FOR SERVICE, FOR DIGNITY, FOR EVERY PERSON WHO WANTS TO COME THROUGH OUR DOORS. AT THE RISK OF BEING PRESUMPTUOUS, I'M REALLY HERE
TODAY TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE HEROIC EFFORT OF THE CPA AND THE SUPPORT OF THE CITY. UH, FOR ALL THE ORGANIZATIONS WHO ARE DOING SUCH GOOD WORK AND ESPECIALLY ON BEHALF OF MY
CONGREGATION. UH, I'M GRATEFUL FOR THE WAYS THAT YOU ARE SUPPORTING. I HOPE THE NEXT CHAPTER OF HOPE CENTRAL CHURCH IS STORY. IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE REALLY TO OVERSTATE HOW HUMBLED WE ARE
BY YOUR GENEROSITY OR HOW EXCITED WE ARE FOR THE FUTURE. THIS ALLOWS US TO IMAGINE AFTER YEARS OF NOT BEING ABLE TO IMAGINE IT. SO I WANT TO ALSO EXTEND AN INVITATION. WE HOPE THAT ANYONE WHO WANTS
TO WILL. >> JOIN. US WHEN THE WORK IS COMPLETED OR OF COURSE BEFORE. UM AND SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SPEAK. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TESTIMONY. OKAY.
UM, WE HAVE TWO MORE LEFT JEREMY VIEIRA NEXT AND THEN
REVEREND JOHN ODOMS. HELLO. >> MY NAME IS. >> JEREMY VIEIRA.
I'M HERE. >> ON BEHALF OF RIGHTS. >> AND. COMMUNITIES AND RIGHTS. IN BEAUFORT PROJECT WHICH HAS BEEN AWARDED CPA FUNDING. >> I JUST WANT TO SPEAK UH, IN GENERAL ABOUT CPA FUNDS. I THINK THEY ARE. SUCH AN ABSOLUTELY.
INTEGRAL PART. OF THE FUNDING REQUIRED TO MAKE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, UH, IN THIS CITY. UM, AND IN SCHOOL IT'S NEVER BEEN MORE DIFFICULT TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND IT'S
NEVER BEEN MORE CRUCIAL TO OUR COMMUNITIES. UM, THE ROGERSON IS A NONPROFIT . WE FOCUS ON SENIOR SERVICES AND SENIOR HOUSING. UM. AND YOU KNOW, THIS PARTICULAR
PROJECT WILL PROVIDE BOTH MEMORY CARE, UH, AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN ONE LOCATION. UH, UTILIZING OUR EXISTING SITE, OUR EXISTING LAND. UM, THE FEASIBILITY OF THIS
PROJECT IS SIMPLY NOT THERE WITHOUT CPA FUND. SO WE THANK YOU AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO TO MOVING THE PROJECT FORWARD. THANK YOU. THANK YOU JEREMY. OKAY.
AND LAST BUT NOT LEAST REVEREND JOHN ODOMS. GOOD AFTERNOON. UM. >> THANK YOU FOR CORRECTLY. >> PRONOUNCING MY NAME. IT'S MUCH APPRECIATED. IT'S MY NAME IS THE. REVEREND JOHN ADAMS.
I'M THE MINISTER THE PASTOR AT. FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF BOSTON . UH. >> LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF COMMONWEALTH AVENUE AND CLARENDON STREETS IN. THE BACK BAY. AND I THINK AT ONE POINT WE WERE DESCRIBED AS MARKING THE
GATEWAY TO COPLEY SQUARE. THAT WAS WHEN. CALM THAT WAS THE MAJOR THOROUGHFARE. UH, FIRST I WOULD LIKE TO THANK TH18 BROWN AND THE REST OF THE
CPA STAFF FOR ALL OF THEIR DILIGENT WORK AND AWESOME ASSISTANCE. ALSO THE CPA COMMITTEE AND
MAYOR WU FOR RECOMMENDING ALL OF OUR UH, 2026 CPA HISTORIC PRESERVATION. UM GRAND RECOMMENDATIONS. UH, THAT THEY HAVE DONE THAT
HOPE THE CITY COUNCIL WILL DO THE SAME. IN THIS ROUND OUR PROPOSED UM, GRANT FUNDED WORK WILL INCLUDE. CORRECTING SOME REALLY
DANGEROUS MASONRY CONDITIONS ON THE CLARENDON STREET SIDE OF THE CHURCH OF THE BUILDING, INCLUDING WHERE. AREAS OF STONE ARE LITERALLY HELD. IN PLACE WITH WOODEN SUPPORTS
AND METAL NETTING. UH, COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WHEN THAT WAS BEING PUT IN I COULD ACTUALLY REACH MY HAND IN AND GET MY FINGERS ALL THE WAY INTO SOME OF THE CRACKS. THEY'RE STABLE AT THIS POINT
BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEM BEING, UM, RESTORED AND RENEWED. UM. >> THE PROJECT WILL NOT ONLY HELP REPAIR AND PRESERVE THE HISTORIC FABRIC OF THE
BUILDING, BUT CORRECT THIS SAFE PUBLIC SAFETY ISSUE. OTHER FUNDERS INCLUDING THE HENDERSON FOUNDATION AND HOPEFULLY THE AMELIA PIER PERRY
CHARITABLE FUND UH TUNE WITH SUBMITTED A PROPOSAL. UH, SUPPORTING THIS PROJECT AND WE'RE INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL THAT CPA FUNDS ARE BEING RECOMMENDED
ONCE AGAIN. UH, DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE THAT WE ARE PART OF THIS RECOMMENDATION AND HOPE AND RESPECTFULLY ASK THAT THE CITY COUNCIL VOTE TO
APPROVE A GRANT AS. WELL AS. >> ALL THE OTHER INCREDIBLY WORTHY PROJECTS THAT ARE BEING RECOMMENDED IN THIS ROUND OF FUNDING. THANK YOU AGAIN VERY MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND HAVE A GOOD
EVENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH, REVEREND. UM OKAY. I BELIEVE THAT IS. >> IT FOR PUBLIC TESTIMONY AND I WANTED TO GIVE YOU ALL THE
OPPORTUNITY TO DO ANY CLOSING REMARKS BEFORE. WE WRAP UP. IF YOU HAVE ANY. UM, JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE CITY COUNCILORS, UM, ONE FOR YOUR KIND WORDS. UM, TO THE CPA OFFICE AND THE
FOR THE COMMITTEE. UM, WE TRULY DO APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WE DO. AND THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TO HEAR ALL ABOUT THE GREAT WORK THAT WE'RE DOING AND THE PROJECTS RECOMMENDED THIS ROUND. THANK YOU. AND I. >> JUST LIKE TO SAY THANK YOU
FOR HAVING US. WE ALWAYS LOVE TO TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH YOU, BUT I DO WANT TO THANK THE DEAN AND HER TEAM FOR BEING GREAT PARTNERS WITH US. >> AND. TO. CONTINUE TO PUSH FORWARD. THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING MISSION OF THE CITY.
SO IT'S A GREAT TEAM TO WORK WITH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU BOTH. FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO FOR. YOUR RESPECTIVE UM DEPARTMENTS AND YOUR STAFF.
IT'S VERY IT'S JUST AMAZING TO . HEAR THE FEEDBACK NOT ONLY FROM MY COLLEAGUES BUT ALSO FROM THE THE APPLICANTS AND THE. RESIDENTS THAT TESTIFIED TODAY THAT JUST SAY HOW AMAZING
WORKING WITH YOUR DEPARTMENT IS AND I THINK THAT YOUR STAFF DESERVES THAT KUDOS. IT'S VERY IT'S VERY NICE TO JUST KNOW THAT WE HAVE SUCH GREAT WORKERS IN THE CITY OF BOSTON ESPECIALLY UH, WITH
SUCH IMPORTANT PROJECTS LIKE THE CPA. SO I PERSONALLY WANT TO THANK YOU AS THE CHAIR OF THIS COMMITTEE JUST BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THERE'S. >> A LOT OF. >> GREAT PROJECTS IN HERE THAT ARE GOING TO BE SUCH A HUGE BENEFIT TO OUR CITY. I UM I LOOK FORWARD TO, YOU
KNOW, INTRODUCING THIS AND MAYBE MAYBE NEXT WEEK'S COUNCIL MEETING SO WE'LL WE'LL MAKE SURE WE WRAP THAT UP. BUT I WANTED TO THANK YOU THANK THE PUBLIC TESTIMONY THANK YOU TO THE RESIDENTS THAT WERE ABLE TO SHOW UP IN PERSON AND IN
VIRTUALLY AS WELL. BUT WITH THAT THIS HEARING ON DOCKET NUMBER 0569 AND 0758 IS
OFFICIALLY ADJOURNED.