### Meeting Overview The Bellingham Community Development Advisory Board met on January 9, 2025, to hear from the Whatcom Council on Aging about their programs and services, discuss meeting calendar planning for the upcoming year, and address procedural matters including future officer elections. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB):** A city advisory body that provides input on community development activities, reviews funding applications, and makes recommendations on housing, human, and social service grants. **NOFA (Notice of Funding Availability):** The formal process through which the city solicits applications for federal community development block grant funding from nonprofit organizations. **Meals on Wheels and More:** A program that delivers meals to homebound seniors and operates community meal sites throughout Whatcom County, serving as the largest program under the Whatcom Council on Aging. **AMI (Area Median Income):** A federal measure used to determine income eligibility for various assistance programs. The presentation noted that 93% of meals serve Bellingham residents under 50% AMI. **HUD:** The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provides federal block grant funding that flows through the city to local service organizations. **Wait List:** A new reality for Meals on Wheels, where clients may have to wait for services due to funding constraints and increased demand post-pandemic. **Consolidated Plan:** A comprehensive planning document that identifies community needs and priority populations for federal funding allocation. **Home Share Program:** A new city pilot program being developed through an RFP process to connect seniors with spare bedrooms to renters, helping address both housing inventory and senior financial needs. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Rob Van Dyne | Director, Meals on Wheels and More, Whatcom Council on Aging | | Kathleen | City staff member, Community Development | | Heather | City staff member | | Shannon | CDAB Chair (outgoing) | | Katherine Freimund | CDAB member, citywide representative | | Deidra Prado | CDAB member at large, Cordata neighborhood | ### Background Context The Whatcom Council on Aging operates three main programs serving Bellingham's growing senior population. With demographic projections showing a 40% increase in residents over 60 in the next 20 years, and an even more dramatic 207% increase expected in the 85+ population, senior services are facing unprecedented demand. The organization has been operating at a deficit during and after the pandemic, serving increased numbers of clients while managing funding constraints. They recently purchased a new facility near Bellis Fair to eventually replace their current downtown location, planning to expand from 14,000 to 28,000 square feet and develop an in-house kitchen to produce up to 1,000 meals daily. The CDAB is preparing for their major annual responsibility: reviewing and scoring applications for federal community development block grant funding. This process involves multiple meetings in the spring where board members evaluate nonprofit organizations' funding requests and make recommendations to City Council. ### What Happened — The Short Version Rob Van Dyne presented an overview of the Whatcom Council on Aging's operations, highlighting their three programs: the Senior Activity Center with over 2,000 members, Meals on Wheels serving 270,000 meals annually, and Bellingham at Home providing assistance services. He explained funding challenges and the recent need to implement wait lists for the first time in decades. The board discussed their 2025 meeting calendar, deciding to meet in February, March, April, and May to handle the NOFA review process. They postponed officer elections until February when more members might be present. Staff announced a new home share program pilot launching soon, with an RFP going out to find an organization to manage the matching platform. ### What to Watch Next - February 13, 2025: Next CDAB meeting for officer elections and NOFA preparation - Late January: City RFP for home share program launched - March-April 2025: NOFA application review and scoring process - May 2025: Final recommendations submitted to City Council and HUD ---