New Bedford Awarded $1.8 Million Federal Grant to Combat Homelessness

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Processed by: Helicon Filter;Mayor Jon Mitchell has announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded the City of New Bedford $1,824,990 in homeless assistance funding as part of a competitive grant competition under the HUD Continuum of Care (C0C) Program. The New Bedford Continuum of Care is administered locally by the City’s Office of Housing and Community Development and the New Bedford Homeless Services Provider Network (HSPN). The competitive grant is part of an annual process and is the direct result of the City and the HSPN successful partnership to address the issue of homelessness in New Bedford.

New Bedford was included in HUD’s announcement of nearly $1.6 billion in grants to renew support for 7,100 local homeless housing and service programs across the U.S., Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

This year, HUD challenged communities to evaluate existing programs and strategies and give greater emphasis to programs that provide a ‘rapid re-housing’ for homeless families with children and to provide permanent supportive housing for those experiencing chronic homelessness.

The competitive application was coordinated by the Office of Housing and Community Development and included a working group of the Homeless Service Providers Network (HSPN). The City’s HSPN is a collective of over sixty agencies, departments, consumers and organizations that represent the structural component defining New Bedford’s Continuum of Care. The mission and workings of the HSPN are a reflection of the needs and priorities of the homeless community and those who serve them.

These HUD grants help us serve the most vulnerable of our City and will allow us to continue to make a progress in ending homelessness in our community,” said Mayor Mitchell. “The funding will be distributed to programs administered by local organizations to offer critically needed housing and support services to homeless individuals and families,” Mayor Mitchell said.

Similar to last year, HUD made this announcement of renewal grants under the Tiered ranking system as soon as possible in order to prevent any interruption in federal assistance.

Patrick Sullivan, Director of Housing and Community Development added, “HUD’s Continuum of Care homeless assistance programs serve as the largest single source of funding for homeless services in New Bedford. The planning, coordination and implementation of programs and services by the city’s Continuum of Care through the HSPN was vital to this year’s application and the securing of almost $2 million in funding.”

The $1,824,990 grant award will allow for the continued operation of nine existing homeless programs administered by local organizations to offer critically needed housing and support services to homeless individuals and families. For the first time ever, HUD is quickly providing these renewal grants to local programs to prevent any interruption in federal assistance and will announce funding to new projects in early 2010. In 2013 the City’s Homeless Service organizations provided assistance to over 2,100 unduplicated individuals and families.

The City’s grant funding will be distributed to the following agencies:

Positive Action Against Chemical Addiction, Inc.
STEP-Up Program – Permanent Housing with supportive services $269,753

Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc.
Donovan House – Transitional Housing program with supportive services $194,425

Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc.
Portico Program – Permanent Housing program with supportive services for families $615,341

Catholic Social Services of Fall River, Inc
Prism Program – Permanent Housing program with supportive services for individuals $206,174

Steppingstone, Inc.
Welcome Home Program – Permanent Housing program with supportive services for individuals $162,865

Steppingstone, Inc.
The Graduate Program – Transitional Housing with supportive services $96,257

Reflections, Inc.
Family Preservation Program – Permanent Housing program with supportive services
$250,651

City of New Bedford’s Office of Housing & Community Development
New Bedford Homelessness Management Information System Project $29,524

For more information about the City’s efforts to address homelessness, please contact City of New Bedford Office of Housing and Community Development (508) 979-1500.

About Michael Silvia

Served 20 years in the United States Air Force. Owner of New Bedford Guide.

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