Housing

Housing: Existing chapter

The housing section of the Bellingham Plan helps promote a diverse housing supply, improves the health and livability of the city's neighborhoods, and plans for the current and projected housing needs of all economic groups in our community.

Housing affordability and availability are critical issues for our community and the nation. Because addressing the housing crisis requires a group effort, the City works with public, private, and non-profit partners to develop and implement solutions. At the local level, the City is committed to addressing our community’s housing needs with its key responsibilities. These responsibilities and priorities are reflected in the goals and policies of the housing chapter.

What changes will happen in the Bellingham Plan?

A significant portion of this plan update involves accommodating not only population and jobs, but also new requirements set by State legislation that address housing supply, stability, and affordability. These bills require planning for more new homes to reduce the shortage while stabilizing housing costs, include more protections to safeguard those with the least housing security, and expand requirements to plan for housing at a variety of incomes to help those who cannot afford what the market offers today.

Two notable bills which will impact the Bellingham Plan are House Bill 1220 and House Bill 1110, described in further detail below:

HB 1220 (2021): This bill made significant changes to the portion of the Growth Management Act related to housing. Its most impactful changes for Bellingham’s update include:

• A process for defining 20-year projections for housing needs for all economic segments of the population and distributing them to each county and city.
• Requirements to plan for and accommodate Bellingham’s allocated housing needs, including emergency housing types such as shelters; and
• Requirements to identify and address racially disparate or exclusionary effects of existing housing policies and regulations.

HB 1110 (2023): Often referred to as the “middle housing bill,” HB 1110 has the most significant impact on residential zoning across the state. Bellingham is defined as a Tier 2 City (i.e., a city with a population greater than 75,000 people). As such, on any lot zoned primarily for residential use, Bellingham must allow:

• At least four units per lot outright.
• At least six units per lot on those lots within one-quarter mile walking distance of a major transit stop (today, this only includes the Fairhaven Amtrak station, but staff will coordinate with WTA on any planned GO line improvements that may fall within this definition).
• At least six units per lot if two of the units are made affordable to households earning under 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) for ownership, or 60 percent of AMI for rental units.
• Requires only administrative design review (no public hearings, except for variances).
• Development regulations must be based on objective standards.

There are many more housing-related bills to come out of recent state legislative sessions. A complete summary of these bills can be found here.

Related Events:

The topic of housing will be discussed extensively at many of our upcoming in-person events. The “Community Vision” event sets the stage for understanding how the Bellingham Plan will address new housing-related legislative requirements (discussed above). “Housing Affordability” covers how local government can address gaps in the housing spectrum as growth occurs by identifying new housing types to encourage across the city. “Housing Types & Neighborhoods” continues this conversation, with a focus on how that new housing and neighborhoods across the city will look and feel in the future. The open houses conclude with a final session, “How We Will Grow,” which focuses on different ways we can grow to accommodate changing housing needs.

• Community Vision – February 22, 5-7 p.m., Sehome High School
• Housing Affordability – April 16, 5-7 p.m., Sehome High School
• Housing Types and Neighborhoods – June 4, 5-7 p.m., Bellingham High School
• How We Will Grow – July 17, 5-7 p.m., Squalicum High School