Search toggle
Contact toggle
Contact toggle
Search toggle
Say hello.
Focus Str. 5th Ave, 98/2 34746 Manhattan, New York
+1 222 44 55
hello@acme.com
What are you looking for?
Real Briefings

Committee of the Whole

BEL-CTW-2025-02-24 February 24, 2025 Committee of the Whole City of Bellingham 9 min
← Back to All Briefings
Feb
Month
24
Day
9
Min
Published
Status

The Committee of the Whole addressed three major policy areas affecting Bellingham's housing landscape and legislative priorities. Whatcom County presented an update on their five-year homeless housing plan development, revealing concerning trends including a significant jump in homelessness between 2022-2023 and potential federal funding cuts that could impact local services. City lobbyists provided a sobering update on the 2025 state legislative session, dominated by a $16 billion state deficit that has shifted conversations from policy expansion to cuts and delays. Despite fiscal constraints, the city is pursuing funding for Bellingham Bay cleanup projects, library renovation, and exploring multiple law enforcement funding mechanisms. The most substantive discussion centered on middle housing policy, as staff presented plans to expand the city's existing infill toolkit citywide ahead of state mandates. Director Blake Lyon outlined how this expansion would allow various housing forms — from duplexes to sixplexes — throughout residential areas, building on successful examples already operating in Bellingham neighborhoods. The proposal represents both compliance with upcoming state requirements and proactive steps to address the housing crisis. Council members engaged deeply on questions of housing prioritization systems, federal funding vulnerabilities, and design standards for new housing types. The session demonstrated the interconnected nature of housing challenges, from homelessness services to middle housing production, all operating within an increasingly constrained fiscal environment at multiple government levels.

No formal votes were taken during this committee session. The meeting was structured as information-gathering and discussion in advance of future decision points. **Upcoming Actions Identified:** - March 24, 2025: Public hearing on int…

About 50% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**Homeless Housing Plan Development:** Whatcom County staff detailed the comprehensive update process for their five-year homeless housing plan, required by state law. The current system serves approximately 1,255 households through various intervention types, but demand significantly outpaces capacity. The prioritization system based on vulnerability creates challenging trade-offs between equity and efficiency, as noted by county staff. Council members questioned whether the system inadvertently incentivizes people to worsen their circumstances to qualify for assistance. Key concerns emerged around federal funding stability. County staff confirmed that $3.6 billion in federal continuum of care dollars have been frozen, and the Housing Choice Voucher program, public housing, and low-income housing tax credits could face significant impacts under federal budget changes. **State Legislative Session Challenges:** City lobbyists Luke Esser and Nick Federici painted a stark picture of the 2025 legislative session, overshadowed by a $16 billion deficit over four years. Governor Inslee proposed $13 billion in new revenues and $3 billion in cuts, while the House Democratic Caucus outlined what a $16 billion cut-only scenario would entail — $3.5 billion in healthcare cuts and $1.5 billion in human services cuts. Despite fiscal constraints, the city is actively pursuing several funding priorities: Bellingham Bay cleanup…
About 50% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**Whatcom County Staff (Janie Oliphant, Chris D'Onofrio):** Emphasized the need for community input on homeless housing plan priorities, acknowledging difficult trade-offs between equity and efficiency in service delivery. Expressed concern about federal funding cuts but remained focused on local control within state requirements. **City Lobbyists (Luke Esser, Nick Federici):** Provided realistic assessment of limited legislative opportunities given state fiscal crisis. Advocated for pursuing capital budget opportunities while managing exp…
About 50% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
**Chris D'Onofrio, on homelessness prioritization challenges:** "I think it's a great question, and that's a big part of the reason we're here is to kind of some of those are sort of values based judgments. And I think at times we have this conflict between equity and efficiency. And that's where we really want the community to step in, because I don't think we feel comfortable making those determinations alone." **Nick Federici, on the state budget crisis:** "This legislative session is real…
About 49% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →

**March 7, 2025:** Whatcom County homeless housing plan community survey closes **March 10, 2025:** Next City Council Committee meetings **March 24, 2025:** Public hearing on interim ordinance to expand infill toolkit citywide **April 28 - May 23, 2025:** Next phase of cou…

About 49% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
The meeting established clear timelines for major housing policy decisions in Bellingham. The city moved closer to expanding middle housing options citywide, with staff direction to prepare an interim ordinance for March 24. Council gained comprehensive understanding of federal funding vulnerabilities affecting local homeless services and state fiscal constraints limiting legislative opportunities. The discussion shifted the city's approach to middle housing from reactive compliance with state mandat…
About 49% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
# When the County Takes on Homelessness and the City Embraces Middle Housing ## A February Afternoon of Housing Solutions in Bellingham On a quiet Monday afternoon in February, the Bellingham City Council gathered in their committee chambers for what would prove to be a three-hour deep dive into the community's most pressing housing challenges. All seven council members were present as Council President Hollie Huthman called the Committee of the Whole to order at 1:10 PM, setting the stage for presentations that would span from countywide homelessness strategy to neighborhood-scale housing reform. The meeting represented a convergence of housing policy at multiple scales — from Whatcom County's systematic approach to reducing homelessness to the city's efforts to create more diverse housing options in existing neighborhoods. What emerged was a portrait of a community wrestling with the fundamental question of how to house everyone who calls this corner of Washington home. ## The County's $15 Million Homelessness Strategy The afternoon began with Whatcom County staff introducing their upcoming five-year homeless housing plan — a state-mandated blueprint that will guide how the county spends roughly $15 million annually to address homelessness. Jason Korneliussen, the city's new Strategic Initiatives Manager for Health and Human Services, introduced the county team and noted his role as Bellingham's representative on the planning committee. Janie Oliphant, a housing specialist with Whatcom County Health and Community Services, walked the council through the complex ecosystem of services that make up the county's continuum of care. At its heart is "coordinated entry" — a system designed to replace the old days when people experiencing homelessness had to call multiple providers hoping to find an available bed or service. "It used to be that if I found myself homeless and I needed a place to go, I would call various providers and say, hey, do you have room for me? Can I get on your wait list?" Oliphant explained. "That made it so that people who were really good at calling and getting on waitlists were most likely to get access to services." The new system funnels people through a single assessment process into what's called the "housing pool" — essentially a prioritized waiting list where those with the highest vulnerability scores move to the front of the line. It's a system born of scarcity, where demand far outstrips available resources. Council Me…
About 12% shown — sign up free to read the rest Sign up free →
### 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 Home…
About 50% shown — premium members only Upgrade to premium →

Share This Briefing

Tags & Connections

Housing Budget & Finance Land Use & Planning Government Operations HB 1110 HB 1403 HB 1867 Bellingham Housing Authority Department Of Commerce Lighthouse Mission Northwest Youth Services Opportunity Council Whatcom County Blake Lyon Chris Donofrio Daniel Hammill Hannah Stone Hollie Huthman Jace Cotton Janie Oliphant Jason Corneliussen Lisa Anderson Luke Esser Michael Lilliquist Nick Federici Accessory Dwelling Units Affordable Housing Budget Finance Comprehensive Plan Homelessness Infill Development Lake Whatcom Watershed Middle Housing Rental Housing State Legislature Zoning