Town meeting members have approved projects set to revitalize and reinvigorate two historic houses.

At Tuesday's meeting, the Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust had asked to use Community Preservation funding to restore and rehabilitate the Akin House on Dartmouth Street. The group intends to utilize the building, originally constructed in 1762, for a visitor and education center.

During their annual meeting last month, Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust board members revealed plans to relocate their headquarters from Padanaram to the historic farmhouse on Helfand Farm. Community Preservation funding was also approved Tuesday for a restoration project there that would return the front of the building to its original form while adding a new addition to the back.

Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust was granted $176,928 for Helfand Farm, and the Dartmouth Heritage Preservation Trust was approved for $265,000 for the Akin House.

Community Preservation funds come from a three percent surcharge levied on residential property above the first $100,000 of assessed property. The state partially matches the locally raised funds. That money must be used for historic preservation, affordable housing or preservation of open space or recreation.

While funding for the Akin House passed without incident, Patrick Curran spoke against the renovations at Helfand Farm.

“These are community funds. I think this building is worth restoring if it was going to be used for part of the community. This is not going to be a museum about early farming or anything like that,” said Curran.

He felt the money could be better used for future development that would serve the general public.

Judith Lund, chairperson of the Historical Commission, noted that the money from the fund can only be used for things like historic preservation.

“This house tells the story of life in Dartmouth from the time that it was first purchased until the present day,” she said, adding that the Historical Commission unanimously supports the project.

“The Helfand's themselves have turned the property over to the [Dartmouth Natural Resources Trust], which speaks to our current interest in land preservation,” Lund said. “The interior of the house, it’s my understanding, will contain exhibits about the family.”

Town Meeting members supported the project as well, passing the article. Construction at Helfand Farm is scheduled to begin in the fall. The restoration of the Akin House has been ongoing since 2008.