## Meeting Overview On the evening of February 18, 2026, Mayor Kim Lund convened the Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Commission (MNAC) at Bellingham City Hall's board room, with additional participants joining online. The meeting brought together neighborhood association representatives from across the city for what proved to be an information-packed session covering new housing initiatives, major infrastructure challenges, and the ongoing work of building stronger community connections. The agenda was notably robust, with presentations from city staff on the recently launched Bellingham Home Share Program, an urgent update on the county's jail and behavioral health facility project, and the debut of the city's new digital State of the City address. The session concluded with a frank discussion about the challenges many neighborhood associations face in recruiting board members and maintaining community engagement. ## Launching Bellingham's Home Share Program Taylor Littrell and Kathleen Morton from the Planning and Community Development Department introduced attendees to the city's newest housing initiative: a partnership with Nesterly to create a structured home sharing platform. This marked the first time many MNAC members had heard about the program, highlighting the challenge of spreading awareness about new city services. The program addresses Bellingham's housing crisis by connecting homeowners with spare bedrooms to people seeking affordable housing arrangements. "Instead of waiting for a building to be constructed, which can be costly and time-consuming, as a community, we could potentially utilize up to 14,000 vacant bedrooms that are currently available in our community," Taylor explained. Nesterly, founded in Boston in 2017, was selected through a competitive procurement process. The platform offers comprehensive support including background checks, lease creation, rental payments, and monthly check-ins with both parties. Importantly, the service includes human staff support Monday through Friday, not automated systems. The program currently has only three listings available, illustrating the city's current focus on recruiting homeowners rather than renters. "We know that there are renters in need. That's always gonna come, and we're still doing outreach generally for awareness so that people know that this is an option when they are looking for somewhere to live. But we have to have listings available," Kathleen noted. Jake Charlton from Happy Valley raised practical questions about ownership requirements, particularly for inherited properties with multiple owners. Staff confirmed that as long as one owner lives in the home as their primary residence, it qualifies for the program. The fee structure includes a one-time booking fee of $95-$195 and a monthly 2.5% service charge. The city's two-year contract with Nesterly costs $55,000 annually, making the service available throughout Bellingham and Whatcom County. Katie Herson-Horvath from Birchwood expressed enthusiasm about the program, sharing her own positive experience with intentional community living arrangements. ## Justice Project Faces Major Financial Challenges Deputy Administrator Forrest Longman delivered sobering news about the county's Justice Project, the long-awaited effort to build a new jail and behavioral health center. What began as a $150 million project with clear voter-approved funding parameters has encountered significant cost overruns and revenue shortfalls that threaten the entire endeavor. The current jail, which has operated under booking restrictions for over 15 years, represents a humanitarian crisis. "If someone's arrested, they may or may not be able to book them into jail. That's a pretty serious problem when you need to get somebody off the street," Longman explained. The facility currently houses three people per cell designed for one person. Sales tax revenues have fallen 9% below projections, creating a compounding financial problem over the project's lifetime. Meanwhile, construction costs have escalated far beyond initial estimates. The county has developed four scenarios ranging from $170 million to over $260 million, each with different levels of programming and services. Scenario 1, at $170 million, would create essentially "a new version, similar to what we have today" - a bare-bones facility with minimal programming space. Scenario 2 improves court facilities and adds some diversion capabilities for $200 million. Only Scenario 3, at $260 million, begins to approach the transformative vision voters supported, but would consume virtually all available funding and leave nothing for the behavioral health center. The behavioral health center, originally planned as an in-custody facility, has been redesigned as an out-of-custody model serving the broader community. It will be located at the Ann Deacon Center for Hope on Division Street, separate from the jail. This change was driven partly by Medicaid reimbursement considerations and the desire for greater service flexibility. Several MNAC members asked pointed questions about the project's challenges. One noted the irony of building next to an ICE facility during "a fascist takeover of our government," referencing recent critical coverage in the Salish Current. Another observed that the situation "looks like a train wreck" and could result in "the same thing that we've been dealing with for 40 years." Longman acknowledged the difficult choices ahead: "The county executive basically said the next time we all meet, we have to come to the table with what we're giving up, because everybody has to give up something, and he's not wrong." ## Digital State of the City Debuts Mayor Lund presented the city's first digital State of the City address, breaking from the traditional format of in-person speeches to council chambers or chamber breakfasts. The professionally produced video, featuring drone footage and comprehensive coverage of city accomplishments, aimed to reach a much broader audience than traditional formats. The presentation highlighted major 2025 achievements including upgrades to the Post Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, acquisition of over 1,000 acres in the Lake Whatcom watershed, the opening of Little Squalicum Pier, and progress on housing initiatives. The video emphasized the city's role as careful stewards of taxpayer dollars while advancing community values. Several MNAC members praised the format's accessibility and comprehensive scope. One noted, "It's so rare these days to be able to watch a short video and learn so much. It's all current information, that if you sit on all the boards and the committees, you would know, but as a normal public person, you're not." The video is available on multiple platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and the city website. ## Neighborhood Association Challenges and Solutions The meeting's final segment addressed a persistent challenge: many neighborhood associations struggle to recruit board members and maintain community engagement. The discussion revealed both common problems and creative solutions across different neighborhoods. Board recruitment emerged as a universal challenge. Jake Charlton from Happy Valley noted that lengthy meetings focused on administrative details can discourage younger participants: "any college student who shows up in our meeting, you just see them dying inside... They cannot take a two-hour meeting talking about parking meters or whatever." Several associations have found success with action-oriented activities. Happy Valley reported their highest turnout for community meals, tree planting work parties, and design projects where participants can see tangible progress. Christmas caroling events that welcome families create natural recruitment opportunities. The dues versus no-dues debate revealed different approaches. Some associations like Cordata maintain $10 annual fees to fund events and facility rentals, while others like Columbia eliminated dues entirely to reduce barriers to participation. Katie Herson-Horvath from Birchwood noted they waive fees for anyone unable to pay, making dues more of an optional donation. Meeting location costs pose ongoing challenges for many groups. While some have arrangements with churches or community centers, others struggle with rental fees. Kate McDonald from Cordata noted that facility costs consume "a big part of our budget" even with their pavilion meetings. Several groups shared effective outreach strategies. Sunnyland uses large sandwich board signs with interchangeable inserts placed along high-traffic routes. Birchwood coordinates strategically placed yard signs and emphasizes door-to-door outreach, particularly to reach residents in multifamily complexes who are often underrepresented. The discussion revealed the importance of building relationships with other community organizations. Birchwood draws board members from participants in Birchwood Food Desert Fighters and other local groups, creating cross-promotional opportunities and stronger community networks. ## What's Ahead The meeting concluded with reminders about upcoming events, including the March 18 Ask Us Anything community meeting at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal and a March 4 meeting specifically addressing encampment issues with the King Mountain neighborhood. These gatherings represent the city's commitment to taking municipal services directly to different parts of the community. The challenges discussed - from housing affordability to infrastructure funding to community engagement - reflect the complex realities facing cities nationwide. Yet the meeting also demonstrated the value of bringing diverse neighborhood voices together to share strategies and build connections across Bellingham's varied communities. As Mayor Lund and staff prepare for the Ask Us Anything series, the evening's discussions provided valuable insights into both the city's ambitious initiatives and the grassroots challenges that ultimately determine their success in creating "a community that works for everyone."