OFFICE OF HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

The City of New Bedford’s Office of Housing & Community Development [OHCD] is a resource for city-wide programs, plans and possibilities in New Bedford. Comprised of Housing and Community Development divisions, the OHCD’s work focuses on a wide variety of federally-funded activities that strengthen the city and help develop strategies to increase the growth and prosperity of New Bedford’s residents.

________________      The Housing Division administers a range of programs geared towards assisting folks with homeownership, rehabilitation, accessibility, emergency repairs and lead paint. Funding for these programs comes from both the federal government and state-wide programs, all of which are intended for households in low-moderate income ranges.

________________      The Community Development Division relies on federal dollars from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development [HUD] in undertaking a wide range of community-based activities ranging from street improvements and demolitions to economical development and public services. Information specific to the City of New Bedford’s efforts around ending homelessness may also be found at the City of New Bedford Homeless Service Provider’s Network website at www.nbhspn.com.

This website is a great resource of community-based programs, plans and possibilities in New Bedford. Regardless of which division you begin exploring, you will find ideas, activities and accomplishments that are integral to downtown and neighborhood revitalization activities for the City of New Bedford.

 

BUILDING NEW BEDFORD

On Wednesday, March 29, 2023, Mayor Jon Mitchell announced Building New Bedford: Strategies to Promote Attainable Housing for All in a Thriving New Bedford, a comprehensive housing plan that outlines actions the City is taking to stimulate new housing development, reactivate underutilized properties, and relieve housing instability and affordability concerns for City residents. The plan also serves as a call to action to New Bedford’s surrounding towns to increase their development of multi-family housing in order to contribute to solving the region’s housing shortage.

The Building New Bedford plan is comprised of 22 measures the city is taking to address the regional housing crisis, organized into six main areas:

 

 

Throughout the plan, the city articulates its objectives in fast-tracking housing development across income levels, removing regulatory barriers to housing development, facilitating the restoration of vacant, underutilized, and/or city-owned properties to be used for housing, encouraging first-time homebuyers, supporting those with urgent affordability concerns, and setting an example for all municipalities in Greater New Bedford in addressing the region’s collective housing challenges.

Click here to access the online version of the plan.

 

New Bedford Celebrates
National Community Development Week 2023 
City and HUD Officials Tour Community Development Projects

Mayor Jon Mitchell, the City’s Office of Housing & Community Development (OHCD), and officials from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) New England Region joined with communities across the nation in celebrating National Community Development Week, April 10 – 14th. In recognizing this event, the City hosted HUD New England Regional Administrator Juana B. Matias and other HUD officials in showcasing how and where federal funds are being utilized in assisting low- and moderate-income residents in New Bedford. The group toured the PACE Community Food Center, the Holy Family Apartments, and held a luncheon with homeless service providers and the New Bedford Housing Authority.

In administering Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) funding for New Bedford, the OHCD supports a variety of community organizations providing crucial services across the city with the goal of strengthening New Bedford through partnerships and responsibly investing resources into the city.  Affordable housing, sustainable living environments, public spaces, public services and expanded economic opportunities are at the forefront of the OHCD’s work with CDBG dollars. The Community Development Block Grant is administered nationally by HUD.

“As an administration, we strive to further strengthen New Bedford as the region’s core by promoting integrated approaches that improve the lives of our residents,” said Mayor Mitchell.  “We have used CDBG funding to accelerate progress toward our goals, and we have leveraged those funds many times over in support of our residents and in enhancing the City’s quality of life.”

National Community Development Week annually brings awareness to the valuable work CDBG communities have already undertaken while providing the forum during which public is educated on future opportunities as these efforts build stronger cities and towns across the country.

“It was wonderful to meet with Mayor Mitchell and to learn more about all the innovative work his administration and their public and private partners are doing to revitalize the great city of New Bedford,” said HUD New England Administrator Juana B. Matias.  “I am very impressed with New Bedford’s new and comprehensive housing plan, and I look forward to seeing how the City utilizes the $2.7 million in CDGG funds it is set to receive to invest in its people and communities and continue its resurgence.”

“Over the years, thousands of New Bedford residents have benefitted from the projects and programs supported by the Community Development Block Grant,” noted Joshua Amaral, Director of the Office of Housing and Community Development.  “As stewards of these resources, our team is dedicated to finding new ways to continue successfully building New Bedford.” The support of Regional Administrator Matias and our partners at HUD validate the extraordinary efforts of our team and the many agencies and stakeholders with whom we work.”

A copy of the slideshow presentation featured at the welcome event is available here.
Information about recently completed projects is available here.

 

FY2021 FINAL CAPER IS NOW AVAILABLE!

The City of New Bedford’s Office of Housing & Community Development announces the publication of its FINAL CAPER for FY2021 as well as its CAPER SUMMARY.  The FY2021 CAPER reports on the status and outcome of programs, activities and budgets that took place between July 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 for the following federal programs:  Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), HOME Program and any CDBG-CV and ESG-CV (COVID-19) funding arising out of the CARES Act that was expended during FY2021. The CAPER SUMMARY provides program highlights for activities and spending during FY21.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FY2021 FINAL CAPER

click here for the caper summary

ANALYSIS of IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING CHOICE IS NOW AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

The Analysis of Impediments to Fair Housing Choice has its origins with the Fair Housing Act of 1968.  This plan sets forth the City of New Bedford’s commitment to taking meaningful and measurable actions to break down barriers to fair housing choice and affirmatively further fair housing throughout the City for all protected classes.

Click here for the final analysis of impediments

the FY2020-2024 consolidated plan and fy20 annual action plan is now available.

CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FINAL PLAN

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE CONSOLIDATED PLAN AND ACTION PLAN

The Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) has created a 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan and FY20 Annual Action Plan. This provides a snapshot of community needs in New Bedford and will establish a framework for how federal funding the city receives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development will be spent over the next five years and, through the Action Plan FY20, the coming fiscal year.

CLICK HERE TO SEE FLYER FOR MORE INFORMATION

We welcome your comments at OHCD@newbedford-ma.gov