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4-19-2026 12:28am
GOOD DEEDS: Spring is Here – The Community Preservation Act
Darlene Cancell
Editor
By William P. O’Donnell, Norfolk County Register of Deeds
Spring is here, and as many of us take this opportunity to enjoy the wonderful public spaces our Norfolk County communities have to offer, I wanted to share a bit of background and updated information about the Community Preservation Act (CPA) that you may find of interest.
The Community Preservation Act is the result of more than two decades of work to create legislation that provides all 351 Massachusetts cities and towns with a locally controlled tool to help preserve their unique natural, community, and historic resources in the face of ongoing growth and development.
The CPA allows cities and towns to establish a Community Preservation Fund dedicated to four eligible purposes: the preservation of open space, historic resources, affordable housing, and outdoor recreation. In addition, the law created a statewide Community Preservation Trust Fund, overseen by the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR), which provides annual matching distributions to communities that have adopted the Act.
Signed into law on September 14, 2000, the Community Preservation Act has since been adopted by 201 Massachusetts communities. Here in Norfolk County, 19 of our 28 cities and towns have chosen to participate since the Act’s inception. Effective December 31, 2019, CPA recording fees were increased to $50 for most land documents and $25 for municipal lien certificates. At no additional cost to the Commonwealth or to local communities, the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds collects these fees at the time of recording and forwards the funds monthly to the Department of Revenue. Those funds are then redistributed directly back to the municipalities that have adopted CPA.
The CPA recording fees are established by the Massachusetts Legislature and apply to land documents recorded here at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds. The accompanying chart illustrates the funds generated from each community based on real estate documents recorded during calendar year 2025, demonstrating how local activity helps support preservation projects throughout the Commonwealth and Norfolk County.
I hope you find this data informative and helpful in understanding the impact the Community Preservation Act has in allowing cities and towns to ensure that their unique characteristics and assets are preserved for years to come. In the meantime, if I can be of assistance to you, please do not hesitate to contact me at 781-461-6116 or by email at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org.
To all, enjoy your Spring.
Thanks to William P. O’Donnell, Norfolk County Register of Deeds, for contributing this article to Westwood Minute.
