City and HUD Officials Tour Community Development Projects to Celebrate National Community Development Week

Public Encouraged to Comment on City’s Draft CDBG Plan

NEW BEDFORD – Mayor Jon Mitchell, the City’s Office of Housing & Community Development (OHCD), and officials from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) New England Region joined with communities across the nation last week in celebrating National Community Development Week, April 10th through the 14th. In recognizing this event, the City hosted HUD New England Regional Administrator Juana B. Matias and other HUD officials to showcase how and where federal funds are being utilized to assist 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 various community organizations providing crucial services across the City to strengthen 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 the 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 CDBG 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.”

CDBG funds a wide range of community efforts throughout the City of New Bedford each year including: providing rental assistance during the pandemic; supporting the construction of shelters, housing, and public facilities; funding public service programs that benefit low- to moderate-income individuals and households including older adults, people with disabilities, those experiencing chronic and frequent homelessness, youth and children; and providing funding in support of economic development efforts to ensure job retention and job creation.

Public Comment Period Opens

Details about the coming fiscal year’s goals and programming are available for public review and comment via the City’s Draft Annual Action Plan starting on April 19th through May 19th. The draft is available through the OHCD website at https://www.newbedford-ma.gov/community-development/fy23-annual-action-plan/.