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 as part of the local Continuum of Care can be found on the Bristol County Continuum of Care website at at www.bristolcountycoc.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.

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applications are now available!

You may access the online application portal by clicking here.
Click here for more information regarding the FY25-FY29 Consolidated Plan and Action Plan.

NorthStar Early Education Academy Environmental Assessment notice and request for release of funds

Posting Date: January 3, 2025

The City of New Bedford has completed an Environmental Assessment for the NorthStar Early Education Academy project located at 10 Hyacinth Street, New Bedford, MA and is accepting written comments within eighteen (18) days from the date of these Notices. On or after January 23, 2025, the City of New Bedford will request that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development authorize the release of federal funds.

Click here for a copy of the Environmental Assessment Public Notice

 

 

FY2023 CAPER IS NOW AVAILABLE

The City of New Bedford’s Office of Housing & Community Development announces the publication of its CAPER for FY2023.  This CAPER reports on the status and outcome of programs, activities and budgets that took place between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2024 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 FY2023.

CLICK HERE FOR A COPY OF THE FY2023 CAPER

  Please contact the Office of Housing & Community Development by email at OHCD@newbedford-ma.gov with any questions.

 

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.

 

ANALYSIS of IMPEDIMENTS TO FAIR HOUSING CHOICE 

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