Mayor Jon Mitchell announced on Wednesday the city of New Bedford’s plan to tackle the issue of housing shortage and affordability in the region. Mitchell introduced “Building New Bedford,” which will involve fast-tracking permitting and modifying zoning in the city to incentivize developers to construct more housing units. The plan will also focus on addressing housing at different income levels, promoting the use of existing properties, and supporting first-time homebuyers. According to Mitchell, the cost of housing in Greater New Bedford is financially burdening families, and although the problem is driven mainly by national market forces, the city can take many measures to address it at the local level.