# Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham's Community and Economic Development Committee convened on April 27, 2026, in Council Chambers for what would prove to be an information-rich session spanning two critical areas of city policy: affordable housing funding and downtown economic vitality. Committee Chair Jace Cotton presided over the meeting, joined by members Council Member Hollie Huffman and Council Member Edwin "Skip" Williams. The afternoon brought forward two substantial presentations that, while distinct in focus, painted a comprehensive picture of Bellingham's ongoing efforts to address housing challenges and economic development needs. The first item centered on the city's annual federal funding allocation plan—a complex web of federal, state, and local resources totaling millions of dollars dedicated to housing production, services, and community facilities. The second presentation unveiled the results of a comprehensive downtown vacancy study, offering both sobering statistics and strategic pathways forward for addressing commercial space challenges in the urban core. Both presentations reflected the careful, data-driven approach that has come to characterize Bellingham's policy development under the current administration, while also highlighting the persistent tension between community needs and available resources that defines much of municipal governance in the Pacific Northwest. ## The 2026 Housing and Community Development Action Plan Samuel Lutz from the Planning and Community Development Department presented the city's proposed 2026 Action Plan—a document with an admittedly unwieldy title but profound importance for housing policy in Bellingham. As Lutz acknowledged with a slight smile, "Thank you for that introductory statement and apologies for the long title." The plan detailed how Bellingham intends to allocate federal Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership Program funds, alongside substantial local resources from the city's housing levy and affordable housing sales tax. The scope of funding outlined in the action plan was substantial: over $15 million committed to housing production alone, supporting more than 200 units across multiple projects. Yet as Lutz was careful to emphasize throughout his presentation, "Unfortunately, there are far greater needs in the city that fall under these goals and priorities, then we have funding to address. But this plan shows our best effort to balance th…