### Meeting Overview The Committee of the Whole met on February 24, 2025, with all seven council members present. The meeting focused on three major topics: Whatcom County's upcoming update to its Five-Year Homeless Housing Plan, the 2025 state legislative session, and a study session on middle housing options for Bellingham. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Coordinated Entry:** A centralized process where people experiencing homelessness can access housing assistance and services from multiple providers, replacing the old system where people had to call each provider individually. **Housing Pool:** A prioritized waitlist that people enter after assessment through coordinated entry, where services are allocated based on vulnerability rather than first-come, first-served. **Rapid Rehousing:** A program providing up to 24 months of rental assistance and case management for people who have already become homeless to help them lease units on the private market. **Middle Housing:** Housing types that fall between single-family homes and large apartment buildings, including duplexes, triplexes, townhouses, and courtyard apartments. **Infill Toolkit:** Bellingham's existing development regulations allowing various middle housing types in certain areas of the city, first adopted in 2009 and expanded in 2018. **Anti-Supplant Rules:** Regulations preventing jurisdictions from using new grant funding to replace existing local funding rather than actually increasing services. **Form-Based Zoning:** A zoning approach that focuses on building design and placement rather than specific uses or family composition. **TBA (Tenant Based Rental Assistance):** A federal program providing rental subsidies that follow the household, allowing them to use assistance in any qualifying rental unit. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hollie Huthman | Council President, Committee Chair | | Jason Corneliussen | Strategic Initiatives Manager for Health and Human Services, City of Bellingham | | Janie Oliphant | Housing Specialist, Whatcom County Health and Community Services | | Chris D'Onofrio | Housing and Homeless Services Supervisor, Whatcom County | | Luke Esser | Contract Lobbyist for City of Bellingham | | Nick Federici | Contract Lobbyist for City of Bellingham | | Blake Lyon | Director, Planning and Community Development | | Kim Lund | Mayor | | Janice Keller | Deputy Administrator | ### Background Context Whatcom County is required by state law to update its Five-Year Homeless Housing Plan every five years, with the current update targeting adoption in November 2025. The plan will guide approximately $15 million in annual funding for homeless services. Meanwhile, the state legislature is facing a $16 billion budget deficit, creating uncertainty around funding for housing and homeless programs. At the same time, state law requires Bellingham to allow more middle housing types by June 2026, prompting the city to consider accelerating these changes through Mayor Lund's Executive Order 2024-02. The county's homeless services system serves about 1,255 households at any point in time, but has hundreds more waiting for services. The biggest jump in homelessness occurred between 2022 and 2024, potentially coinciding with the end of eviction moratoriums. Federal funding for homeless services, including about $3.6 billion in Continuum of Care funding, has been frozen at the federal level, adding urgency to local planning efforts. ### What Happened — The Short Version County staff presented their process for updating the homeless housing plan, emphasizing community input through surveys and public meetings. The plan will address how to prioritize limited resources among different intervention types and vulnerable populations. A public survey is open through March 7 asking residents to rank objectives from most to least important. City lobbyists reported on a challenging legislative session dominated by budget cuts rather than new policy initiatives. While the operating budget faces an $8 billion deficit, the capital budget remains relatively strong, offering opportunities for Bellingham's infrastructure and cleanup projects. Multiple bills are moving forward that could provide new funding for law enforcement and housing programs. Planning Director Blake Lyon presented options for expanding Bellingham's Infill Toolkit citywide ahead of state mandates. The toolkit allows various middle housing types and has produced 443 completed units since 2009, with townhouses being the most popular option. The proposal would apply these regulations citywide except in the Lake Whatcom watershed, with a public hearing planned for March 24. ### What to Watch Next • March 7 deadline for public input survey on homeless housing plan objectives • March 24 public hearing on interim ordinance for citywide Infill Toolkit application • November 2025 adoption of final Five-Year Homeless Housing Plan by county council • June 30, 2026 state deadline for middle housing compliance or state model code takes effect ---