Welcome to the Bristol County Continuum of Care

(Formerly the New Bedford Homeless Service Provider Network – HSPN)

The New Bedford Continuum of Care (MA-505) has grown! In May 2024 the adjoining Continuum of Care (CoC) known as the Greater Bristol County Attleboro Taunton Coalition to End Homelessness or “GBCATCH” merged into New Bedford’s CoC creating a much larger CoC. Reflecting all of Bristol County’s cities and towns with the exception of Fall River, the Bristol County CoC (temporarily named as such) coordinates a comprehensive response to homelessness using a “Continuum of Care” approach through its active network of providers, members of the faith community, social service workers, state agencies, local non-profits providing a myriad of services, foundations, developers and those with lived experience and expertise.

The BCCC meets regularly to address the most pressing issues around the complexity of homelessness and works toward ensuring every individual and every family has access to appropriate, sustainable safe, decent and affordable housing.

If you are interested in working toward this end, join with us and check out the work the BCCC is doing in Bristol County. Our website is undergoing a transition from the HSPN to the new merged CoC so we thank you for your patience as we rework some of the details of our site.

Need Help?

The Bristol County Continuum of Care has a Coordinated Entry System that focuses on, and works to, assist those CURRENTLY sleeping outside or in an emergency shelter.

Beyond that, we want to remind you of the following resources that may be available to you if you are in a housing crisis:

EFFECTIVE JANUARY 1, 2024 PLEASE CONTACT THE FOLLOWING…

IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SLEEPING OUTSIDE, IN A CAR, IN AN ABANDONED BUILDING, IN OTHER PLACES NOT MEANT FOR HUMAN HABITATION OR IF YOU ARE IN AN EMERGENCY SHELTER ALREADY, PLEASE CONTACT COORDINATED ENTRY:

Monday – Friday  8am – 5pm
508-501-0900
ce@comcounseling.org

For individuals needing shelter, please contact the shelter directly:

Sr. Rose (men) – New Bedford – 508-997-3202
Grace House (women) – New Bedford – 774.628.9743
Samaritan House – Taunton – 508-824-6497
Domestic Violence – New Bedford – 508.999.6636

For families with minor children or women who are pregnant, please contact the state’s Emergency Housing Assistance Program call center:

Monday – Friday  8am – 5pm
866-584-0653

For those needing rental assistance for past due rent (which typically needs a 14 day notice to quit), please contact:

RAFT – www.nhs.mass.org
Catholic Charities – 508-999-4757
PACE – 508-993-0033

For those seeking subsidized housing/apartment options check out:

HUD Guide for housing opportunities (click on “find affordable housing opportunities near me”)
https://resources.hud.gov/

NB Age Friendly’s Housing Resources Guide
https://s3.amazonaws.com/newbedford-ma/wp-content/uploads/sites/34/20201117102348/AGING-HOUSING-MANUAL.Final_.pdf

New Bedford Housing Authority’s Online Application, State Champs Application and Housing Briefing
https://newbedfordhousingauthority.org/

The BCCC is committed to the concept that each person is entitled to live in dignity and is focused on the elimination of homelessness in Bristol County.