Health, building and fire officials say House of Hope shelter is making incremental repairs; council hears inspection details

City health, building, fire and police officials told the New Bedford City Council Committee on Public Safety and Neighborhoods on Feb. 11, 2025, that the House of Hope shelter at 848 Mount Pleasant St. has outstanding code violations but is making incremental repairs and remains in operation.

Sofia DeCosta of the New Bedford Health Department said her initial inspection on Oct. 21, 2024, produced a report with a variety of violations that was served on owner Robert “Bob” Hughes and the property owner. DeCosta told the committee she inspected the site again on the day of the meeting and found “about 17 violations outstanding,” many tied to water-damaged drop ceilings, mold remediation and unfinished plumbing and electrical work that staff described as “being worked on.” DeCosta said the case is in housing court and scheduled for additional review in March before Southeastern Housing Court.

Joseph Cavallo, environmental health director, told the committee the health department is pursuing classifying the site as a rooming house with the licensing office; if the classification is applied, the city would conduct initial inspections and then quarterly inspections going forward. Cavallo and other officials cautioned that a rooming-house classification would bring additional building- and fire-code requirements that could impose significant…