HUD awards $1.6 million in homeless assistance funding to New Bedford

Article originally published in the Standard Times February 11.2020

NEW BEDFORD – The group tasked with combating homelessness in the area has been awarded a grant from the federal Department of Housing & Urban Development under its Continuum of Care program.

The Homeless Service Providers Network, led by the City’s Office of Housing & Community Development, has been awarded $1,673,610 in homeless assistance funding The grant awards announced at the end of January are renewal funding for previously funded local program; HUD also anticipates announcing new project awards and additional renewal awards at a later date.

The grant funding will help to support eight local programs totaling more than $1.6 million, to be distributed to the following programs and agencies addressing homelessness:

Homeless Management Information System: $74,524

The Call (Catholic Social Services): $50,000

Family Preservation Program (SEMCOA): $280,879

Step Up (PAACA): $290,187

Welcome Home (Steppingstone): $186,423

Transition to Stability (Catholic Social Services): $161,593

Prism (Catholic Social Services): $116,619

Portico (Catholic Social Services): $513,385

Patrick Sullivan, Director of the Office of Housing & Community Development, said, “This grant funding is essential for people experiencing homelessness. The very competitive Continuum of Care application requires a high degree of collaboration and coordination with our homeless service providers and partners. Our office works with the HSPN so that the City submits a competitive application to ensure that New Bedford’s most vulnerable populations receive the highest level of services possible, along with access to safe permanent housing.”

For more information, please visit the HSPN website at www.nbhspn.com or contact the Office of Housing & Community Development at 508-979-1500.