Key Commitments
Accommodate 16,109 new housing units by 2036; 51% multi-family housing mix by 2036; 20% of Bellingham households severely cost-burdened (spending >50% of income on housing) as of 2015
Goals
(5 total)
- GOAL H-1: Ensure that Bellingham has a sufficient quantity and variety of housing types and densities to accommodate projected growth and promote other community goals.
- GOAL H-2: Foster housing that is safe, healthy, livable, and affordable for all income levels in all neighborhoods.
- GOAL H-3: Promote sense of place in neighborhoods.
- GOAL H-4: Support housing options for special needs populations.
- GOAL H-5: Existing manufactured home parks should be preserved.
Stronger Policy Language (24 policies)
- Policy H-15: Support fair and equal access to housing for all persons, regardless of race, religion, ethnic origin, age, household composition or size, disability, marital status, sexual orientation or economic circumstances.
- Policy H-30: Enforce the City's Rental Registration and Safety Inspection Program to ensure that rental housing units comply with life and fire safety standards.
- Policy H-49: Support implementation of the Whatcom County Plan to End Homelessness.
- Policy H-55: Identify and evaluate methods to encourage the preservation of existing manufactured home parks to ensure their continued provision of affordable housing.
Aspirational / Monitoring Language (27 policies)
- Policy H-2: Encourage mixed housing types for new development on greenfield sites, a benefit of which is the integration of people from various socio-economic backgrounds.
- Policy H-7: Consider increasing densities in certain multi-family zones with underused development capacity.
- Policy H-20: Consider developing an inclusionary zoning program as a means of increasing the City's affordable housing supply.
- Policy H-48: Encourage and consider incentives for the dedication of a portion of housing in new projects to special needs housing.
- Policy H-53: Support a range of housing types for retirees and seniors, including townhomes, condominiums and assisted living communities near daily needs and transit.