The Department of Housing and Urban Development has awarded the City of New Bedford nearly $2 million to fund programs for the homeless in the city. Here's a release from the Mayor's Office:

NEW BEDFORD — The City of New Bedford has been awarded $1,758,917 in homeless assistance funding by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) as part of a competitive grant process under the HUD Continuum of Care (CoC) Program.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded approximately $2 billion to renew support to thousands of local homeless assistance programs across the nation. HUD's Continuum of Care grants provide critically needed support to local programs on the front lines serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

The grant awards announced this week are renewal funding for previously funded local programs; HUD anticipates announcing new project awards at a later date.

The renewal grant awards are part of a very competitive national application process led by the City of New Bedford’s Department of Planning, Housing and Community Development (DPHCD). The DPHCD coordinates a comprehensive response to homelessness using a “Continuum of Care” methodology through a local network known as the Homeless Service Provider Network (HSPN).

A Continuum of Care is a community’s plan or strategy to organize and deliver housing and services to meet the specific needs of people who are in the midst of a housing crisis and/or are experiencing homelessness as they move to stable housing and maximum self-sufficiency. A Continuum of Care strategy includes action steps to end homelessness and prevent a return to homelessness.

Continuum of Care grant funding supports a broad array of interventions designed to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness, particularly those living in places not meant for habitation, located in sheltering programs or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. Each year this funding serves hundreds of people through a coordinated entry system, emergency shelter, rapid re-housing, transitional and permanent housing programs.

“The awarding of this federal grant is an occasion to highlight the important work the Homeless Services Provider Network is doing in New Bedford,” said Mayor Jon Mitchell. “I wish to thank the more than 50 HSPN partners who work with the City on a daily basis to address the complex issue of homelessness. This federal funding will enable that work to continue, and will allow the HSPN to accelerate our efforts to connect those in need with permanent housing solutions that can lead to long-term stability.”

 The grant funding will help to support eight local programs totaling $1,758,917 to be distributed to the following programs and agencies addressing homelessness in New Bedford:

          THE CALL (Catholic Social Services)                                  $   46,757

    • HOMELESS MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM    $   74,524
    • FAMILY PRESERVATION PROGRAM (SEMCOA)              $ 274,604
    • TRANSITION TO STABILITY (Catholic Social Services)      $ 159,109
    • STEP UP (Positive Action Against Chemical Addition/PAACA) $ 286,082
    • PORTICO (Catholic Social Services)                                       $ 622,163
    • PRISM (Catholic Social Services)                                             $ 114,233
    • WELCOME HOME (Steppingstone)                                       $ 181,445

For more information about the City's efforts to address homelessness, please contact City of New Bedford’s Department of Planning, Housing & Community Development at (508) 979-1500 or visit the HSPN’s website atwww.nbhspn.com.

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