NORTHAMPTON — During its Jan. 2 meeting, the Northampton City Council approved more than $1.19 million in Community Preservation Act funds to be used for various projects throughout the city.
CPA funds are generated through a surcharge on property tax bills that are matched by a state contribution. There were eight total CPA appropriations made by the city this year.
A handful of the grants passed were focused on affordable housing, including a $200,000 CPA grant awarded to the Pioneer Valley Habitat for Humanity to create four affordable homes on Cooke Avenue. The planned homes are to be built on the former Moose Lodge off of Cooke Avenue, which was previously a homeless encampment until cleared out by the city last fall.
“This is creating a permanently affordable home ownership unit,” said Planning and Sustainability Assistant Director Sarah LaValley during the council’s Dec. 19 meeting. “It provides some unique home ownership opportunities close to the greenway, shopping amenities and transportation as well.”
Ward 1 Councilor Stanley Moulton added he strongly supported the project within his ward.
“This site is a great spot for affordable housing being close to shopping, close to transportation and particularly close to conservation land so I enthusiastically endorse this and believe it will be well received in the neighborhood,” added Moulton.
Another $127,760 grant was given to the Valley Community Development for a mortgage subsidy program that would provide direct down payment assistance for two people earning less than 100% of the city’s median income to afford a home in Northampton. A total of $75,000 was appropriated for the city’s Affordable Housing fund.
The biggest project coming from the approval of funds is a plan to replace and rehabilitate six tennis courts and one basketball court at JFK Middle School which was an appropriation of $402,000.
LaValley explained the need for this funding was the courts were constructed in 1996 and the city has maintained it well over the years but now it is time for a rehabilitation of the courts.
“Maintenance and repairs have allowed the courts to exceed their life expectancy but now they’re really getting to the point where they need to be replaced,” said LaValley during the Dec. 19 first reading.
Grow Food Northampton was awarded $202,000 for a new pavilion for its community farms at 140 Meadow St. The planned pavilion will provide shade and shelter to users of the garden as well as a hub for programming activities at the garden.
“The pavilion project includes a walking path with opportunities for food foraging and pick your own orchard will allow Grow Food Northampton to expand its educational offerings and the pavilion will also serve as the hub and home base for this work and provide shade in a gathering space,” LaValley explained.
Another CPA grant approve was $90,000 to Parks and Recreation for a flood resilience plan for Maines Field in Ward 5, in response to damages from recent flooding.
Historic Northampton is on the receiving end of $64,860 in CPA funding for a historic structures report for Shepherd House, a document that will inform decisions about the building’s repair, rehabilitation, restoration and reuse.
The final grant approved was $30,000 to Planning and Sustainability and the Historical Commission for documentation of historic accessory structures, allowing a catalog of historic barns, carriage houses and other secondary structures around the city.
