The HSPN follows a set of written standards in ensuring consistency, best practices and excellence with respect to program and system performance. These standards, memorialized in 2016 were updated by the City's Office of Housing & Community Development on behalf of the New Bedford CoC. The product of that effort is divided into two separate documents: CoC Operational Standards and CoC Performance Standards. As its name implies, Operational Standards (available here: OPERATIONAL STANDARDS) provides guidance and standards for all project types, [ Continue reading. ]
2018 RANKING of PROPOSALS
The City of New Bedford’s HSPN has received, reviewed and voted on the 2018 Final CoC Rank and Order of Projects. The HSPN’s Performance Review Committee (PRC), comprised of HSPN members with no relationship–financial or otherwise–to any of the applicants for funding in the FY2018 round received, reviewed, vetted, evaluated and ranked all applications for the competition. This year one new application under the DV Bonus was received. Eight renewal applications were reviewed, six of which for housing programs, one of which was for the continuum’s Homeless [ Continue reading. ]
New Federal Strategic Plan Released…
The United States Interagency Council on Homelessness has released the new federal strategic plan, Home, Together. This plan, based on a year of listening and study across the country, updates the previous plan entitled, Opening Doors. According to the plan, itself, Home, Together "focuses on identifying and describing essential federal strategies that will help states, communities and public and private partners build effective, lasting systems that will drive toward the goals now, and be able to respond quickly and efficiently when housing [ Continue reading. ]
HOW IS THE SYSTEM PERFORMANCE MEASURING UP?
The City of New Bedford's Continuum of Care (CoC) uses system performance measures developed by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) to assess how well it is moving toward ending homelessness within the CoC, itself. By looking at a series of data produced by the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), an aggregate look into the performance of certain metrics from 2015 - 2017 provides insight as to some strengths of the CoC as well as areas that may be targeted for improvement. Take a look at the System Performance [ Continue reading. ]
CoC Competition: Applicant’s Conference Materials Now Available
As announced through the 2018 RFP for CoC Funding, an Applicant's Conference was held on Monday, July 9, 2018 during which an overview of both the RFP, itself, as well as the actual funding application was offered. If you are interested in applying for funding in this competition round, please take a look at this powerpoint deck for helpful guidance. In addition, you may always contact the Department of Planning, Housing & Community Development for assistance by either email (at Jennifer.Clarke@newbedford-ma.gov) or by phone at [ Continue reading. ]
2018 COC RFP is RELEASED!
The City of New Bedford’s Continuum of Care [CoC] acting through the Department of Planning, Housing & Community Development issued an RFP COC 2018 for 2018 applications for funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development [HUD] on Friday, June 29, 2018. The RFP notice includes an application for both renewal projects and new projects available through bonus and DV bonus funding made available by HUD in this round. Please contact Jennifer Clarke, Deputy Director DPHCD at Jennifer.Clarke@newbedford-ma.gov with any questions. [ Continue reading. ]
2018 POINT IN TIME (PIT) COUNT RELEASED!
The City of New Bedford has conducted its annual “Point In Time” [PIT] count that creates a census of those individuals and families experiencing homelessness within the city, both sheltered (living in emergency or transitional housing) and unsheltered. This is a big operation and requires a lot of effort and many hands. The results from the 2018 PIT, initially presented at the HSPN April 19, 2018 meeting, are now available here: PIT 2018 PRESENTATION. For a quick look at some 2018 data, take a look at this year's infographic available here: PIT 2018 [ Continue reading. ]
2018 STREETSHEETS NOW AVAILABLE!
The City of New Bedford’s Department of Planning, Housing & Community Development has released the new STREETSHEET.2018 and has made it available through this website. Check it out through the RESOURCES page at STREETSHEETS. [ Continue reading. ]
The Massachusetts “Olmstead Plan”
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is in the process of updating its Olmstead Plan and is looking for feedback through its online website at https://www.mass.gov/forms/olmstead-planning-committee-plan-development-feedback. The Olmstead Plan memorializes the Commonwealth’s commitment to promote opportunities for persons with disabilities to live, work, and be served in community-based settings. The Commonwealth released its first Olmstead plan in 2008. This updated Olmstead Plan “tracks the progress that the Commonwealth has made towards achieving that [ Continue reading. ]
City Wins Federal Homeless Assistance Funds
Mayor Jon Mitchell has announced that the City of New Bedford has been awarded $1,721,502 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. HUD awarded a record $2 billion to support more than 7,300 local homeless assistance programs across the nation providing critically needed support to local programs on the front lines serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The grant award is part of a very [ Continue reading. ]
