Community Development Advisory Board

# Community Development Advisory Board Meeting Narrative *October 9, 2025 | City Council Boardroom, City of Bellingham* ## Meeting Overview The Community Development Advisory Board (CDAB) convened for their monthly meeting on Thursday, October 9, 2025, at 6:00 PM in the City Council Boardroom. Chair Shannon Laws presided over a moderately attended meeting with five board members present: Laws, Lola Thompson, Matt Unger, Matthew Main, Jasmine Fast, and Katherine Freimund. Andrew Calkins, Ben Spicer, and Ryan Wood were absent. City staff present included Samya Lutz from Planning & Community Development and Kathleen Morton, who serves as staff liaison to the board. The evening's agenda reflected the board's ongoing focus on affordable housing and homelessness prevention programs. Two significant presentations dominated the meeting: an overview of YWCA's housing programs and a detailed review of HOME-ARP funded homeless prevention initiatives. The meeting also included routine business around public comment periods for federal reporting requirements. While the transcript quality presents challenges in capturing exact dialogue, the substance of the meeting clearly centered on the practical mechanics of how federal housing dollars flow through local organizations to serve Bellingham's most vulnerable residents. The tone was workmanlike, with board members asking detailed questions about program effectiveness, funding sustainability, and coordination between service providers. ## YWCA Housing Programs Presentation Alle Schene, Executive Director of the YWCA, and Kanoe, the organization's Communications Manager, presented an overview of their housing services that receive partial funding from the City of Bellingham. The presentation covered both emergency and permanent housing programs operated by the organization. Schene provided background on YWCA's emergency shelter programs, explaining how they serve individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The organization operates emergency-stay programs designed to provide immediate relief while connecting residents to longer-term housing solutions …