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Real Briefings

Committee of the Whole

BEL-CTW-2025-06-09 June 09, 2025 Committee of the Whole City of Bellingham
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The Committee of the Whole held an intensive work session that completed two major landlord-tenant ordinances after months of development. Both the manufactured home fee ordinance (AB24502) and the residential rental fee ordinance (AB24501) passed with comprehensive amendments, representing the city's most significant tenant protection legislation in years. The manufactured home ordinance received final approval with an August 1, 2025 effective date after council addressed concerns about implementation timing for the approximately 1,000 affected residents in 10 mobile home parks. The residential rental ordinance proved more contentious, particularly around pet rent restrictions and city enforcement provisions. Council ultimately struck city enforcement sections, leaving civil remedies as the primary enforcement mechanism. After extensive debate about pet fees, council created a compromise allowing either pet deposits (up to 30% of monthly rent) or monthly pet rent (up to 2% of monthly rent), but not both. The ordinance affects tens of thousands of Bellingham renters. State Representative Alex Ramel briefed council on the 2025 legislative session, highlighting successful rent stabilization legislation, housing supply measures including ADU self-certification options, and the largest Housing Trust Fund investment in state history. The session also featured updates on the Homeless Outreach Team's impressive statistics and approval of growth allocation planning documents for the 2045 comprehensive plan update.

**Manufactured Home Fee Ordinance (AB24502)** - PASSED 7-0 - Approved all sections including definitions, fee disclosure requirements, reasonable fees, prohibited fees, civil remedies, and administrative provisions - Set effective date at August 1, 2025 (amended from original 15-day timeline) - Limits applicant screening fees to $50 plus annual CPI adjustment - Caps move-in fees at one month's base rent - Prohibits most junk fees while allowing reasonable utility and optional service fees - Creates civil enforcement with treble damages rather than city administrative enforcement **Residential Rental Fee Ordinance (AB24501)** - PASSED 7-0 - Approved with significant amendments after section-by-section review - Set effective date at August 1, 2025 - Aligned screening fee language with manufactured home version ($50 plus CPI) -…

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**Pet Fee Policy Debate:** The most substantive policy discussion centered on pet rent restrictions. Council member Anderson expressed concerns that prohibiting pet rent might reduce pet-friendly housing options, preferring market-based solutions over restrictions. Council member Lilliquist argued pet rent represents classic "junk fee" behavior—new charges for previously included services. The compromise solution allows landlords to choose either refundable deposits or monthly rent, preventing double-charging while maintaining flexibility. **City Enforcement Philosophy:** Council debated whether the city should administratively enforce the ordinances or rely solely on civil remedies. Council member Anderson led the successful effort to remove city enforcement, arguing that civil remedies provide sufficient deterrent effects while avoiding administrative burden. This represents a shift from typical c…
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**Legislative Updates from Rep. Ramel:** Highlighted successful rent stabilization passage, $600 million Housing Trust Fund investment, ADU self-certification opportunities, and Western Washington University heating system funding. Noted disappointment in failure to raise local government levy caps despite being "almost there" until gubernatorial opposition. **HOT Program Managers (Marisa Schoeppach and Sherry Johnson):** Reported strong performance metrics including 729 unduplicated contacts and 4,222 total engagements in Q1 …
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**Council Member Anderson, on city enforcement:** "If something is council initiated, then there should be additional time and energy spent on the funding source... if we're having to look at additional staffing time to do the education, to do various things, then I think as we go forward in the future, we're going to have to look at staffing for council to do that work." **Council Member Hammill, on pet fees:** "Pet rent is sort of a classic case of why we're even here. It's a new fee that f…
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**August 1, 2025:** Both landlord-tenant ordinances become effective, requiring lease updates and landlord compliance preparation. **June 23, 2025:** Next Committee of the Whole meeting scheduled. **Summer 2025:** Final Environmental Impact Statement due for comprehensive plan update process. **December 31, 2025:** Belling…

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**Legal Framework:** Bellingham now has comprehensive junk fee protections for both manufactured home residents and general rental tenants, representing the most significant tenant protection expansion in recent city history. **Enforcement Approach:** The ordinances rely primarily on civil enforcement rather than administrative enforcement, shifting burden to tenants and tenant advocates rather than city code enforcement staff. …
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## Meeting Overview The Committee of the Whole met for a marathon session on June 9, 2025, tackling two of the most significant tenant protection measures in Bellingham's recent history. What began as a morning work session in the Mayor's Boardroom stretched into the afternoon Council Chambers, as all seven council members worked through complex landlord-tenant ordinances section by section, amendment by amendment. The meeting represented the culmination of nearly a year of public engagement and policy development on rental fee regulations. Two parallel ordinances were on the agenda: one addressing manufactured/mobile home communities and another covering all residential rentals. Both aimed to limit "junk fees" and increase transparency in rental costs, but each presented distinct challenges and constituencies. The atmosphere was businesslike yet collaborative, with council members clearly prepared and engaged. Multiple amendments were offered and debated, reflecting careful consideration of how to balance tenant protections with landlord concerns. The presence of representatives from the Opportunity Council later in the day added important community perspective on homelessness outreach efforts. ## Manufactured Home Ordinance: Quick Consensus on Targeted Protections The session opened with final work on the manufactured home ordinance (BMC 24502), which Council had been refining in previous meetings. This proved to be the easier lift of the day's two major items. Council quickly approved the final sections—miscellaneous provisions and severability clauses—that had been left unfinished from their last session. The main debate centered on the effective date. Initially set for 15 days after final passage, Council Member Cotton proposed extending it to 30 days after third reading, with Council Member Stone seconding. "I don't think that's enough time for people to be able to update and have those releases reviewed by attorneys," Stone explained. "I don't think this is reasonable." But even …
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### Meeting Overview The City of Bellingham Committee of the Whole met on June 9, 2025, conducting both morning and afternoon sessions. The meeting focused on finalizing two landlord-tenant relations ordinances regulating rental fees, and received updates on state legislative matters, homeless outreach work, population growth planning, and welcoming city policies. ### Key Terms and Concepts **Committee of the Whole:** A committee format where all seven council members participate to review and discuss policy matters before bringing them to formal council votes. **Ordinance:** A local law passed by the city council that becomes part of the Bellingham Municipal Code (BMC). These require three readings and become effective either 15 days after final passage or on a specified date. **Landlord-Tenant Relations:** Legal framework governing the relationship between property owners who rent residential units and their tenants, including regulations on fees, deposits, and prohibited practices. **Junk Fees:** Excessive or unfair charges imposed by landlords beyond basic rent, often including application fees, pet rent, utility processing fees, or mandatory service charges that can make housing less affordable. **Manufactured/Mobile Home Parks:** Residential communities where people own their mobile homes but rent the land (lots) underneath them. These communities provide important affordable housing options but residents face unique vulnerabilities. **Security Deposit:** Refundable money collected from tenants to cover potential property damage, typically limited to one month's rent under the new ordinances. **Effective Date:** When a new law actually goes into force. Both ordinances were given an effective date of August 1, 2025, providing landlords time to update their lease agreements. **Homeless Outreach Team (HOT):** A crisis intervention team operated by the Whatcom Homeless Service Center with city funding, providing services to individuals experiencing homelessness and connecting them to housing, medical care, and other support services. ### Key People at This Meeting | Name | Role / Affiliation | |---|---| | Hollie Huthman | Council President, Committee Chair | | Hannah Stone, Daniel Hammill, Edwin "Skip" Williams, Lisa Anderson, Michael Lilliquist, Jace Cotton | Council Members | | Alex Ramel | State Representative, 40th Legislative District | | Marisa Schoeppach | Homeless Outreach Team Manager | | Cheri Johnson | Homeless Outreach Team Coordinator | | Jason Korneliussen | Strategic Initiatives Manager for Health & Human Services | | Blake Lyon | Planning & Community Development Director | | Chris Behee | Long Range Planning Manager | ### Background Con…
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Housing Land Use & Planning Government Operations HB 1110 HB 1217 HB 1220 HB 1337 HB 1590 Bellingham School District Opportunity Council Western Washington University Whatcom County Whatcom Homeless Service Center Alan Marriner Alex Ramel Blake Lyon Chris Behee Daniel Hammill Edwin Williams Hannah Stone Hollie Huthman Jace Cotton Janice Keller Lisa Anderson Marisa Schoeppach Michael Lilliquist Sherry Johnson Affordable Housing City Enforcement Civil Remedies Comprehensive Plan Growth Management Act Homelessness Housing Trust Fund Junk Fees Landlord Tenant Relations Manufactured Homes Pet Deposits Rent Stabilization Rental Housing Policy State Legislature