As has been the case for the past 15 years, the City of New Bedford's Office of Housing & Community Development, acting in its capacity as the Continuum of Care's (CoC's) Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) lead, and on behalf of the CoC, has completed its annual “Point In Time” (PIT) count creating a census of those individuals and families experiencing homelessness within the city, both sheltered (living in emergency or transitional housing) and unsheltered (on the streets/in places not meant for human habitation). Concurrent with that [ Continue reading. ]
HOMELESS YOUTH HANDBOOK
The Homeless Youth Handbook is an online know-your-rights resource for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness and housing instability in Massachusetts. The Handbook provides Massachusetts-specific information and is designed to empower young people to understand their legal rights and take action to overcome the many barriers they may face. Topics include, but are not limited to, employment, housing, foster care, immigration, and LGBTQ+ rights. Check out the Massachusetts Homeless Youth Handbook at: [ Continue reading. ]
RACIAL EQUITY PLAN NOW AVAILABLE!
Racial Equity Assessment & Action Plan The HSPN used CoC Planning funds from the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development to develop a Racial Equity Assessment and Action Plan in late 2023 and completed this effort in early 2024. This work was undertaken by the nationally-recognized Racial Equity Partners (REP) with the support of the HSPN Racial Equity Workgroup. The HSPN is grateful to the REP and Workgroup for developing such a meaningful document and will now begin the work articulated in the Action Plan section of the [ Continue reading. ]
2024 HSPN MEMBERSHIP
Membership is open to all! There is no membership fee or dues and all are welcome to join the HSPN! Membership does provide opportunity to more actively engage with the continuum and it is encouraged. Generally organizations, community groups, agencies, and other entities join the CoC but individuals are also invited. Get more information--an your application right here on our website at this link! [ Continue reading. ]
COORDINATED ENTRY REBOOT 2024
We are pleased to announce it’s a new day for Coordinated Entry! New Bedford’s new Coordinated Entry System (CES) is focusing on individuals and families in our community who are currently experiencing homelessness. We are doing so by using CES to help get folks out of shelters, off the streets and in places not meant for human habitation so that they have a roof over their head as quickly as possible. This is no easy task given the many barriers to housing folks often face including CORI issues, past evictions, mental health, substance use issues [ Continue reading. ]
HSPN Publishes Summary of 2023 HUD AHAR
The 2023 Annual Homeless Assessment Report (AHAR) Part 1 provides a Point In Time (PIT) and Housing Inventory Count (HIC) Estimates of Homelessness in the United States. The 2023 data was released December 18, 2023. The 2023 AHAR outlines key findings of the PIT Count and HIC conducted in January 2023. The report, itself, “provides national, state and CoC level PIT and HIC estimates of homelessness as well as estimates of chronically homeless persons, homeless veterans and homeless children and youth.” Key findings are available here: AHAR 2023 HSPN [ Continue reading. ]
WINTER OVERFLOW SHELTER INFORMATION 2023 – 2024
Overview prepared by Catholic Charities Catholic Charities is providing emergency shelter through a Cold Weather Overflow Shelter Project to unsheltered homeless at a local motel (with a total of 15 units set aside and a total capacity of 30 beds for the overflow shelter). This will be offered when there is no vacancy at either of the Catholic Charities Shelters. The following information is provided to ensure clarity as to how the Cold Weather Overflow shelter will operate this season: Conditions Activating the Shelter. The Cold Weather [ Continue reading. ]
2023 COC – APPROVED CONSOLIDATED APPLICATION NOW AVAILABLE!
The MA-505 CoC-Approved Consolidated Application is now available! The MA-505 (New Bedford) Continuum of Care has, through a vote of its membership, accepted the 2023 CoC Collaborative Application and CoC Priority Listing. As a result, this material, as well as the project submissions are all now available here for public review. You may access each of these documents through the following links: 2023 COC CONSOLIDATED APPLICATION COC PROJECT PRIORITY LISTING 2023 PROJECT APPLICATIONS and PLANNING APPLICATION All CoC Project Applications were [ Continue reading. ]
The DRAFT CoC Consolidated Application is now available!
The Draft MA-505 (New Bedford) Continuum of Care’s 2023 CoC Collaborative Application, the Project Priority Listing and the final version of the ranked CoC Project Applications are now available for review at the following links: 2023 COLLABORATIVE APPLICATION DRAFT PROJECT PRIORITY LISTING DRAFT COC PROJECT APPLICATIONS This material is being made available through the CoC’s HSPN website from Monday, September 18, 2023 through 10am on Thursday, September 21, 2023 (during the regular CoC monthly meeting) at which time the HSPN membership will be [ Continue reading. ]
RESOURCES & TRAINING on LGBTQI+ NOW AVAILABLE!
The HSPN has produced and distributed a flyer highlighting training and resource opportunities around the Intersection of Homelessness and LGBTQI+. You may access the LGBTQ+ HOMELESS TRAINING RESOURCE FLYER which provides multiple links to HUD Exchange resources addressing LGBTQI+ and its intersection with homelessness. Resources include Equal Access relative to Gender Identity, Equal Access to Housing in HUD programs regardless of Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity and Equal Access regardless of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity or Marital Status [ Continue reading. ]
