Welcome

With a population of approximately 100,000, the City of New Bedford is the world’s most famous whaling era seaport and the number one fishing port in America. This city is a wonderfully diverse, culturally rich community with a proud present, past and future.

Children can obtain a high-quality education in the New Bedford Public Schools System. Individuals pursuing higher education can do so at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth or Bristol Community College, both conveniently offer a downtown New Bedford campus.

New Bedford is dotted with beautifully maintained parks and public beaches. Our neighborhood restaurants, cafés, and bistros feature delicious ethnic cuisines. Visit the New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park, Whaling Museum, unique shops and galleries in our downtown historic district. New Bedford offers an unbeatable quality of life and is a great place to live, work, and raise a family.

Email: Mayor.Mitchell@newbedford-ma.gov

Mayor’s Office News

 

City Hosts Event for First-Time Homebuyers

Lenders, Housing Counseling Agencies Ready to Connect Residents with Down Payment Assistance and Other Resources New Bedford, MA – Mayor Jon Mitchell and the City of New Bedford hosted an event for those interested in becoming first-time homebuyers on Wednesday, September 20, at the Andrea McCoy Recreation Center. The event, […]

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City Seeking Feedback on “All Hazard Mitigation Plan” Meetings Being Held in Each Ward

New Bedford, MA – As part of the City’s update of its All Hazard Mitigation Plan (AHMP), meetings are being held in each ward to brief residents on the Plan and to collect feedback specific to each area of the City.  Hazard Mitigation Planning enables municipalities to identify risks and […]

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Mayor Expands Fire Prevention Effort

Fire Department Increasing Inspections; Launching Fire Safety Education Program New Bedford, MA –Mayor Jon Mitchell is bolstering the fire code enforcement resources of the Fire Department with additional staff in the Department’s Fire Prevention Unit (FPU) and an increase in regular inspections in high-risk neighborhoods, including multifamily dwellings with three […]

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City & Art Museum Announce Commitment To Host Ceramics Instruction

Move Would Keep Some CVPA Students In Downtown New Bedford, MA – In the wake of UMASS Dartmouth’s abrupt closure of the downtown campus of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) in the Star Store building, Mayor Jon Mitchell and Executive Director of the New Bedford Art Museum, […]

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City Prepares for Hurricane Lee

New Bedford, MA – The National Weather Service Boston Office has issued a Tropical Storm Watch for Southern Bristol County including New Bedford. Winds will increase on Friday and remain gusty through Saturday night. Tropical storm-force winds are expected late Friday night and Saturday near the coast. Buzzards Bay is […]

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City Reminds Residents of the Adopt-a-Tree Program

Trees are planted in the Spring and Fall New Bedford, MA – With fall around the corner, the City of New Bedford would like to remind residents of our Adopt-a-Tree program. The Program, which kicked off in 2014 under Mayor Mitchell’s administration, invites residents to make a $150 contribution to […]

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Absentee/Mail-In Ballots Now Available

Preliminary Municipal Election to be held on October 3rd New Bedford, MA – The Board of Election Commissioners advises the public that absentee/mail-in ballots for the Preliminary Municipal Election are now available.  Any voter can request to receive a ballot by mail, can vote absentee in the Election Office during […]

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City Welcomes Replica of Portuguese Explorer’s Tall Ship to Pope’s Island Marina

New Bedford, MA – Destination New Bedford and Pope’s Island Marina welcome Nao Trinidad, a replica of the 16th-century tall ship that sailed with Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan’s fleet that circumnavigated the world. This year marks the 500th anniversary of Magellan’s historic trip. “While at port, the ship is a […]

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Mayor Mitchell, Representative Cabral to Join Ceremonies in Horta on the Azorean Island of Faial

New Bedford, MA – This weekend, at the invitation of the Mayor of Horta Municipality, Carlos Manuel de Silveira Ferreira, Mayor Jon Mitchell and State Representative Antonio Cabral will join with Mayor Ferreira and Luis Garcia, President of the Legislative Assembly of the Autonomous Region of the Azores, to honor […]

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Construction Begins on New Downtown Apartment Building

New Bedford, MA – On Tuesday, August 22nd, Mayor Jon Mitchell, New Bedford Development Corporation (NBDC) President Steve Beauregard, and other City and state officials gathered for a ground-breaking to officially launch construction of the $27 million five-story mixed commercial and residential building at 117 Union Street in the City’s […]

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East Beach Reopens to Swimming

New Bedford, MA – East Beach is now open after temporarily being closed to swimming due to water quality levels exceeding state standards yesterday, August 17th. Additional water sampling determined that the water quality is safe for swimming and the closure posting has been removed by the Health Department. Water […]

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Mayor Mitchell Issues Statement on UMASS Decision to Vacate Star Store Building in Downtown New Bedford

New Bedford, MA – Mayor Jon Mitchell issued the following statement addressing today’s announcement by UMASS Dartmouth Chancellor Mark Fuller that the University is closing the downtown New Bedford Campus of the College of Visual and Performing Arts (CVPA) in the Star Store building: “Minutes before his public announcement this […]

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