### Meeting Overview The Bellingham City Council's Community and Economic Development Committee met on September 29, 2025 to consider an interlocal agreement with Whatcom County for operating a severe weather shelter during the 2025-2026 winter season. The committee unanimously approved the agreement, which provides city funding to support county-operated emergency shelter services for homeless individuals during dangerous weather conditions. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Severe Weather Shelter:** A temporary emergency shelter that opens only during extreme weather conditions (32 degrees or below with precipitation), distinct from winter shelters that operate continuously throughout cold months. **Interlocal Agreement:** A formal contract between two government jurisdictions (in this case, Bellingham and Whatcom County) to share costs and responsibilities for providing public services. **Affordable Housing Sales Tax:** A one-tenth of one percent sales tax approved by voters to fund affordable housing programs, authorized under House Bill 1590 in 2020. **Temperature Threshold:** The weather trigger for opening the severe weather shelter - a forecasted overnight low of 32 degrees or lower for four or more hours. **Request for Proposals (RFP):** A bidding process where governments seek private contractors to operate public services. Whatcom County received no applications for shelter operation in 2025. **Harm Reduction:** An approach to social services that focuses on reducing immediate dangers and negative consequences rather than requiring complete behavioral change. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Jace Cotton | Committee Chair, At-Large Council Member | | Dan Hamill | Committee Member, Third Ward Council Member | | Edwin "Skip" Williams | Committee Member, Fourth Ward Council Member | | Tara Sundin | Community & Economic Development Manager, City of Bellingham | | Chris D'Onofrio | Housing Program Supervisor, Whatcom County Health and Community Services | ### Background Context Homelessness remains a critical issue in Whatcom County, with unsheltered individuals facing life-threatening conditions during severe winter weather. For the past two years, Whatcom County has operated emergency shelters when no private organizations submitted proposals to run them. The shelter serves as a crucial safety net, providing basic survival services during the coldest and most dangerous nights of the year when hypothermia and frostbite risks are highest. The funding arrangement reflects the regional nature of homelessness, with Bellingham contributing city resources to support a county-operated program that serves people throughout the area. This partnership approach acknowledges that weather emergencies don't respect jurisdictional boundaries and require coordinated responses. ### What Happened — The Short Version Tara Sundin opened by correcting an error in the agenda materials, clarifying that costs would be incurred between October 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026, not that the shelter would operate continuously during those dates. Chris D'Onofrio then explained the county's plans for a 60-bed severe weather shelter, reducing capacity from 80 beds last year to allow better spacing and improved conditions. The shelter will activate when temperatures drop to 32 degrees or below, operating from 4 p.m. to 9 a.m. and providing meals, hygiene supplies, security, and basic health services. The county expects to spend $400,000-$500,000 total, with Whatcom County paying the first $450,000 and Bellingham contributing up to $100,000 if costs exceed that amount. Council members asked about coordination with other services, neighborhood impacts, and the use of affordable housing sales tax funds for shelter operations. The committee unanimously approved the agreement for consideration by the full council. ### What to Watch Next - Full City Council consideration of the interlocal agreement at an upcoming evening meeting - County Council approval of the same agreement, expected within the week - Activation of the severe weather shelter when the first qualifying weather conditions occur this winter ---