New down payment assistance program for New Bedford buyers also announced at ribbon-cutting
NeighborWorks® Housing Solutions , the leading housing service provider in southeastern Massachusetts, held a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, June 22, in celebration of the opening of its newest office location in downtown New Bedford, Massachusetts, at 196 Union Street.
In addition to offering a wide range of housing services, including foreclosure prevention counseling, home rehabilitation loans and grants, financial coaching and first-time homebuyer workshops, the New Bedford location serves as a housing resource for the community. The team based in the new office serves new and existing clients, assists with housing related resources, and works to address clients’ overall housing needs.
NHS announced a new down payment assistance program for buyers in the New Bedford community. “We are designating $250,000 towards down payment assistance for qualified homebuyers who are purchasing here in the city of New Bedford,” said Elvira Caldeira, NHS home ownership and lending director, and director of the CDFI for NeighborWorks Housing Financial Corp.
Similar programs have been available to first-time homebuyers, but this program is available to all qualified buyers purchasing a home in the city. This program will partner with existing down payment assistance programs offered through lending agencies and the city of New Bedford.
This location is more accessible to the broader community, includes NHS’s multi-lingual staff from the community, and provides the opportunity for clients to meet in-person with staff to answer questions, complete applications, or discuss the status of their cases.
NHS has been providing RAFT (Residential Assistance for Families in Transition) assistance to households in New Bedford for many years. RAFT provides funds of up to $7,000 to assist with back rent, utilities, or mortgage within a 12-month period. Applicants may complete their application via the NHS website or in person.
Patrick Sullivan, New Bedford Director of Planning, Housing and Development, State Representative Christopher Hendricks (11th Bristol District), and Elizabeth Teves-Roda from Congressman Bill Keating’s office spoke at the event. State Representative Christopher Markey (9th Bristol District), Al Medeiros from State Representative Antonio Cabral’s Office (13th Bristol District), and Jacob Miller from State Senator Mark Montigny’s office were some of the many in attendance at the ribbon-cutting celebration.
“We’ve been working in New Bedford for a long time,” said Robert Corley, CEO of NeighborWorks Housing Solutions. “We provide a variety of services mostly focused on housing stability and economic advancement. During the pandemic and over the last couple of years, we’ve realized how important it is to not only have technology but not have technology be a barrier to the services we provide, and having an accessible, very public, place in downtown New Bedford is important to us,” Corley continued. “So, people know we are downtown and they know that they can come into this office and get the services and assistance they need.” NeighborWorks Housing Solutions also has locations in Quincy, Kingston, Brockton, and Taunton.
