News / Articles

Housing Team is Off and Running: Housing Week

Published on 11/13/2022

The LWVBWC Housing Team has begun work to improve our understanding of the housing situation in Whatcom County. We have observed a Whatcom County Housing Advisory and a Bellingham Planning Commission meeting. Several of us also participated in the Whatcom Housing Alliance housing week. (To learn more about Housing Week and the luminary award recipients visit the Whatcom Housing Alliance website events page. )

At Housing Week, we met community members, joined a walking tour of the historic Samish Way corridor, visited The Way Station, participated in breakout groups with community members, and were inspired by speakers.

Rick Jacobus, a national expert in inclusionary housing and affordable homeownership, presented information on the success and pitfalls of inclusionary housing. He addressed how best to enact policies that combat unequal access to housing; and strategies to encourage for-profit developers to be part of the affordable housing solution.

Participant questions revealed enthusiasm among attendees, who included an attorney, a real estate agent, a construction supervisor, and members of the Kulshan Community Land Trust.

At the evening awards ceremony, Rick Jacobus noted that Whatcom County is doing well by including diverse perspectives in housing conversations. We are decades ahead of other communities exploring solutions. He said it’s not too late for us to achieve attainable housing for all of our residents.

Our next team meeting is Thursday, November 17, from 5:00-6:30 pm. We are also setting up a member discussion forum on our website. For more information or to volunteer, contact housing@lwvbellinghamwhatcom.org.

Return to Previous Page