New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
The City of New Bedford Department of Housing & Community Development will hold two public meetings to discuss the best use of federal funding to improve the quality of life for New Bedford residents. The public meetings will be held:
- Wednesday, January 9th at 6:00pm at Carney Academy Elementary School, 247 Elm Street, and;
- Thursday, January 10th at 6:00pm at the City’s Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD), 608 Pleasant Street , 2nd floor conference room
The City of New Bedford receives CDBG grant funds from the federal government on an annual basis. The CDBG program provides communities with resources to address a wide range of unique community development needs. Since its establishment in 1974, the CDBG program is one of the longest continuously run programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). CDBG is an important tool that helps local governments tackle serious challenges facing their communities. The City of New Bedford anticipates receiving about $2.4 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding to serve low-and-moderate-income residents and neighborhoods in Fiscal Year 2014 which runs from July 1, 2013 to June 30, 2014.
Information gathered at the upcoming public hearings will be used to prioritize funding to address the needs of low and moderate income people that include, but are not limited to, affordable housing, economic development, public facility improvements, public service and homeless assistance.
New Bedford Mayor Jon Mitchell said, “These meetings are an opportunity for residents to learn more about how this important federal program operates and how it affects New Bedford. The feedback we receive from residents plays a key role in shaping the priorities of the program, and in guiding us to address the needs of our community.”
The January 9th and 10th meetings will review the City’s recent Housing and Community Development accomplishments and will focus on the Annual Action Plan as well as the Request for Proposals Process by which the City’s Community Development Block Grant and Emergency Solutions Grant funding is distributed. The Action Plan is submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and details how the Fiscal Year 2013 funding will be allocated. All comments and opinions regarding the best ways to use the CDBG, ESG and HOME grant funds are welcome. Comments may also be made regarding the performance of the CDBG, HOME and ESG grant programs. All members of the public are encouraged to attend. Final applications are due on February 8, 2013.
OHCD staff will conduct a short presentation on the background and purpose of these federal funds. The meetings are a good opportunity for citizens to voice their opinions about how the City can best use its federal money to improve the quality of life in New Bedford and to suggest specific additions or improvements to facilities and services in our neighborhoods.
Questions regarding the public meetings, the Consolidated Plan or the Action Plan may be directed to Sandra Perez, OHCD Community Development Coordinator at (508) 979-1500 or by email at sandra.perez@newbedford-ma.gov.
