Boston isn’t the only city experiencing a welcome revival of public art projects and green spaces to the appreciation of its residents. Nearby Somerville is, too, and city officials want residents’ help in spending a fresh $4.5 million in funding on community-driven projects aimed at beautifying and facilitating public engagement.
The money comes courtesy of the Community Preservation Act (CPA) which, when adopted by the City of Somerville, created a Community Preservation Fund the money of which is to be allocated towards affordable housing, historic preservation, open space and outdoor recreation projects.
Understanding full well that those who live in Somerville have a better grasp on some of the neighborhood initiatives that will rally more community support than municipal personnel, Mayor Joseph Curtatone is crowdsourcing ideas for how to best spend the money burning a hole in the city’s pocket.
To submit a proposal, simply download the application forms, familiarize yourself with the kinds of projects the money can actually be put towards, and submit all of an eligibility form by 5 p.m. on Friday, September 26. The Community Preservation Committee, chaired by the son of former Mayor of Somerville and current Congressman Michael Capuano, Michael A. Capuano will review all of the applicants and notify them of their eligibility sometime in October.
Those who make it past this step will then submit their full application by December 1. The committee will again review the proposals against the preservation fund’s priorities, solicit feedback from the Somerville public, and finally pass their funding recommendations on to Mayor Curtatone. The Board of Aldermen will cast the final vote on which projects get the green light.
“Like all cities in the region, Somerville faces the challenge of rising housing costs,” Emily Monea, City Community Preservation Act Manager told Bostinno.
It’s also a densely built city where open space, parks, playground and fields are at a premium, and a community with a rich history dating back to the Revolutionary War. Increasing our affordable housing stock, building more public open space and preserving our history are all goals outlined in our SomerVision comprehensive plan, and the CPA is a tremendous tool to help us achieve those goals, bringing us more than $4 million to invest in those areas in this year alone.
For those interested in dipping a toe in the project pool, but aren’t exactly sure where or how to start – fret not. Monea will be holding open office hours at Somerville City Hall on Wednesdays and Thursdays, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., respectively, through September 26.
Or, if you’re unable to break away during any of those times, you’re encouraged to drop her a line using her email address here.
Here in Boston, Mayor Marty Walsh has taken similar steps to ensuring the utmost participation of city residents in some governmental affairs by also launching crowdsourcing campaigns. By doing this, he’s been able to garner Bostonians’ favorite tastes and flavors for the likes of phone music while on hold with City Hall, beautiful cityscape photos for Boston social media accounts, and beautifying city-owned buildings and structures.
But collectively those are just the tip of the iceberg. A city can never preserve too many relics of its stories past, or have too many public art projects and innovative open spaces. Time to get those juices flowing, those wheels turning and that imagination running wild because this is a chance for you to leave your lasting mark on Somerville to the benefit of everyone.
For more information on how to participate in Somerville’s CPA initiative, be sure to check out the website for more details and information about the application process, the preservation fund, and where all this money is coming from.
Image via Shutterstock/Michael Byrne
