### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council's Community and Economic Development Committee met on November 18, 2024, to approve two budgets related to tourism promotion and review the city's annual housing and services report. Chair Jace Cotton led the committee through approval of the 2025 Tourism Promotion Area budget ($1,479,800) and the Lodging Tax Advisory Committee budget recommendations ($2.7 million), plus received an informational presentation on housing and services accomplishments. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Tourism Promotion Area (TPA):** A special district established by state law that collects $3 per night from guests at lodging businesses with 40+ rooms to fund tourism marketing and promotion activities. **Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC):** A committee that reviews and recommends how to spend lodging tax funds on tourism grants, events, and facilities. **Community Development Block Grant (CDBG):** Federal funding from HUD for community development activities including housing rehabilitation, public facilities, and services for low-income households. **HOME Investment Partnership:** Federal program providing grants to create affordable housing through building, buying, rehabilitating, or providing rental assistance. **Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER):** Required annual report to HUD documenting how federal and local housing funds were spent and what was accomplished. **Area Median Income (AMI):** The midpoint income level used to determine eligibility for affordable housing programs. Most city programs serve households below 50% of AMI. **Housing Levy:** A voter-approved property tax providing $40 million over 10 years (2019-2028) for affordable housing production and preservation. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Jace Cotton | Committee Chair, Council Member At-Large | | Hannah Stone | Committee Member, First Ward Council Member | | Edwin "Skip" Williams | Fourth Ward Council Member (substitute) | | Tara Sundin | Community and Economic Development Manager | | Dylan Deane-Boyle | President/CEO, Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism | | Samya Lutz | Housing and Services Program Manager | ### Background Context Tourism is a significant economic driver for Bellingham, generating over $750 million in visitor spending in 2023 with a 9% increase from the previous year. The city's tourism promotion efforts are funded through a combination of the Tourism Promotion Area charge, lodging taxes, and partnerships. Meanwhile, the city operates extensive housing and social services programs funded through federal grants, local levies, and sales taxes, serving predominantly extremely low-income residents. The committee's role is to review and approve budgets for these programs while ensuring accountability for public funds. ### What Happened — The Short Version The committee unanimously approved two tourism-related budgets totaling over $4 million. Dylan Deane-Boyle presented Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism's accomplishments and 2025 plans, highlighting strong return on advertising investment ($605 spent locally for every $1 spent on ads) and preparations for the 2026 World Cup. The committee also received a comprehensive report on housing and services programs, showing the city has exceeded goals in affordable housing production (693 units completed vs. 600 goal) and community facilities, while the homebuyer program remains challenging due to high housing costs relative to income limits. ### What to Watch Next - Full Council consideration of both tourism budgets at the evening meeting - Lodging Tax Advisory Committee selection of a new signature event (applications under review) - Second round of Downtown Activation Grants with $1 million in applications for $250,000 available - 2026 World Cup planning and potential fan hub designation for the region ---