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| One of the many charts in this fact sheet |
Dear Friends of the Registry, Registry Stakeholders, and Norfolk County Residents, 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.
COMMUNITY PRESERVATION ACT (CPA)
SURCHARGES BY TOWN FOR CALENDAR YEAR 2025
TOWN | TOTAL | ||
AVON | $32,225.00 | ||
BELLINGHAM | $144,900.00 | ||
BRAINTREE | $225,750.00 | ||
BROOKLINE | $323,375.00 | ||
CANTON | $168,725.00 | ||
COHASSET | $86,275.00 | ||
DEDHAM | $183,975.00 | ||
DOVER | $47,675.00 | ||
FOXBOROUGH | $120,575.00 | ||
FRANKLIN | $233,250.00 | ||
HOLBROOK | $91,700.00 | ||
MEDFIELD | $92,025.00 | ||
MEDWAY | $98,375.00 | ||
MILLIS | $78,300.00 | ||
MILTON | $181,650.00 | ||
NEEDHAM | $222,250.00 | ||
NORFOLK | $92,425.00 | ||
NORWOOD | $165,550.00 | ||
PLAINVILLE | $58,175.00 | ||
QUINCY | $481,850.00 | ||
RANDOLPH | $185,875.00 | ||
SHARON | $113,425.00 | ||
STOUGHTON | $202,350.00 | ||
WALPOLE | $190,775.00 | ||
WELLESLEY | $211,025.00 | ||
WESTWOOD | $114,775.00 | ||
WEYMOUTH | $378,375.00 | ||
WRENTHAM | $97,400.00 |
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.
By William P. O’Donnell
Norfolk County Register of Deeds
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| Franklin PorchFest 2026 – Call for Porch Hosts & Bands |
Franklin’s favorite community music festival is right around the corner—and now’s your chance to be part of it!
Whether you’ve been thinking about hosting a band on your porch or driveway, or you’re ready to perform live for fellow Franklinites, now is the time to sign up.
⏳ Registration closes April 30th—with just a couple of weeks left, don’t wait!
📅 Event Date: Saturday, June 6, 2026
🕛 Time: 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
If you love live music and want amazing local talent right outside your door, sign up to host. If you’re in a band and love to entertain, grab your spot and bring your sound to the streets of Franklin!
👉 Register now: Franklin.PorchFest.Info
Help us fill Franklin with music, energy, and community spirit.
Don’t just listen—be part of it, register now at Franklin.PorchFest.Info!
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| land plans recorded at the Registry are not plot plans |
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| Franklin PorchFest 2026 |
As spring arrives and homeowners begin their annual "spring‑cleaning," Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell is reminding residents that it is also a good time to review their property records and title information using the Registry's free, online document research system at www.norfolkdeeds.org.
"Spring-cleaning is not just about closets and garages," said Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell. "It is also an ideal time for homeowners to take a few minutes to review what is on record for their property, especially since, for most of us, a home is our most valuable asset. Our online system makes it easy to do so from the comfort of home."
The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds' website allows the public to search and view more than 14 million recorded land documents, dating back to the Registry's founding in 1793. Records can be searched by property owner name, property address, or other criteria, and are available 24 hours a day at no cost.
"Providing secure, accurate, and accessible land record information is central to our mission," Register O'Donnell said. "Our website brings the Registry into residents' homes and businesses, eliminating the need to travel to the Registry for most research needs."
What can Homeowners check online by using the Registry's online research tools:
"Many homeowners are surprised by how much useful information they can find with just a few clicks," said Register O'Donnell. "You do not need a lawyer, and you do not need to be an expert. A little knowledge can go a long way toward peace of mind."
One of the most important items homeowners should check is whether old mortgages have been properly discharged. Once a mortgage is paid off, a discharge must be recorded to clear the property's title.
"As a consumer, you want to make sure a discharge has been recorded, which tells the world that the mortgage has been paid off," Register O'Donnell noted. "Not having a mortgage discharged can create a title issue and delay or complicate the sale or refinancing of a home."
Homeowners can confirm that mortgage discharges are on file by reviewing their property records online at www.norfolkdeeds.org.
Homeowners frequently ask whether they need a copy of their deed. While it is not required, Register O'Donnell recommends keeping one on hand.
"A deed can tell you who owns the property, how it is owned, and the description of the land," Register O'Donnell said. "For many people, having that information brings peace of mind."
Non‑certified copies of deeds can be printed for free from the Registry's website. Certified copies are available through the Registry's Customer Service Center for $1 per page in person or by mail for $2.00 for the first page and $1.00 for each additional page, per document.
Homeowners are also encouraged to check whether a Declaration of Homestead has been recorded on their primary residence. Recent changes in state law increased the homestead protection amount from $500,000 to $1,000,000, with the increase applying retroactively to valid homesteads already on record.
"If you own a home and it is your primary residence, filing a Declaration of Homestead can significantly increase the level of protection for that property," Register O'Donnell said. "Given that most people's homes are their greatest financial asset, this is something every homeowner should consider."
Information and forms related to Homestead Protection are available at no cost on the Registry's website. For residents who need assistance, the Registry's Customer Service Center is available to help with online research, document questions, and certified copies.
"Our goal is first‑class customer service," Register O'Donnell said. "Norfolk County residents deserve a Registry of Deeds that is accessible, consumer‑friendly, and responsive. Our online system does exactly that."
To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives like us on Facebook at facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds, or follow us on X at x.com/NorfolkDeeds and Instagram at instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds.
The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street in Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry's website www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center via telephone at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org.
The following prices pertain to real estate sales from January 1, 2025, to December 31, 2025.
The ten properties were:
The top sales appear to have been a combination of apartment complexes, car dealerships, and office space. The state and Norfolk County collected excise taxes totaling more than $4,937,000 from these 10 sales.
“The variety in these real estate transactions bodes well for the Norfolk County economy, with high-value properties selling in both commercial and residential sectors,” stated Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell. “This indicates that Norfolk County is not only a desirable place to live and work but also a magnet for business, industry, and trade. Overall, the strength of the local real estate market underscores the county’s attractiveness and its potential for continued growth and prosperity.”
To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives like us on Facebook at facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds, or follow us on X at x.com/NorfolkDeeds and Instagram at instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds.
The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street in Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry’s website www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center via telephone at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.
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| Norfolk County Real Estate Market Shows Mixed Results in February |
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Sign up for Lifelong Community Learning's Conversational Spanish for Adults class to learn the basics.
Go to bit.ly/42bdltX for details.
Every February, America marks American Heart Month, a tradition that began when President Lyndon B. Johnson first proclaimed it in 1964. It remains a call to action sixty years later: learn CPR, know where the nearest automated external defibrillator (AED) is, and be ready to step in. The stakes remain sobering. More than 350,000 people suffer out‑of‑hospital cardiac arrest in the United States each year, and roughly 90% do not survive. In many cases, the difference between life and death is simply whether help arrives in time and whether someone nearby has the tools and training to act.
Walk through the main doors of the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds and into the Recording Hall, and you’ll notice a glass cabinet on the wall with three familiar letters: AED. We weren’t required to install automated external defibrillators back in 2010, but we did, placing units on every floor, maintaining them, and training staff to use them because minutes matter when a life hangs in the balance.
Sudden cardiac arrest is one of the leading causes of death, striking without warning and often without time to wait for professional help. An AED is a portable medical device that can recognize life‑threatening arrhythmias and deliver a shock to restore a normal heartbeat. When CPR and defibrillation begin immediately, survival improves dramatically; when they do not, survival can fall by 7–10% with each passing minute.
As Chris Feeney of the American Heart Association testified to lawmakers in 2025, “Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death, but quick action can save lives. Sudden cardiac arrest victims need CPR and defibrillation within minutes as survival chances drop by seven to 10% each minute. Automated external defibrillators, or AEDs, which are simple and portable, can restore the heart’s normal rhythm and are life‑saving tools.”
That’s the purpose behind An Act requiring automatic external defibrillators in Norfolk County public buildings, filed this session as Sen Bill 1473 and House Bill 2349, sponsored by Senator Michael F. Rush and Representative Marcus Vaughn, with Representative Richard G. Wells, Jr. as a co‑sponsor. The bill would require at least one AED in each county‑owned public building and ensure a trained employee or authorized volunteer is present during business hours. The legislation, filed January 16, 2025, was heard on May 13, reported favorably by the Joint Committee on Municipalities and Regional Government on June 18, and then advanced to Senate Rules and House Ways and Means for further review.
This initiative has deep roots. The Registry of Deeds, in partnership with State Representative and registered nurse Denise Garlick, filed this legislation every session from 2019 until her retirement in 2024. Since then, Senator Rush in the Senate and Representative Vaughn in the House have continued the effort. Their dedication in keeping attention on this public‑health issue has been invaluable, and as similar laws advance across the Commonwealth, we remain hopeful that this bill will make it to the Governor’s desk.
If you want a reminder of why preparedness matters, think back to January 2023, when Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during a game. Immediate CPR and an AED helped save his life, a nationally televised example of how decisive action can change an outcome. That moment prompted renewed emphasis on CPR and AED readiness not only in professional sports, but in communities, workplaces, and public buildings nationwide.
There are many responsibilities that come with being your Register of Deeds, including safeguarding 14 million land records that protect the ownership of your homes and businesses. But there is one responsibility I take especially to heart: doing what we can, with our partners in state government, to ensure lifesaving tools are close at hand and that someone nearby knows how to use them. American Heart Month may have begun as a presidential proclamation, but its strength comes from neighbors, colleagues, and citizens willing to act when seconds count.
So, if you are looking to make a difference this heart month, contact your local state legislators and let them know you support SB1473 and HB2349.
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| Good Deeds: State Of The Registry |
