Downtown Forward 2026 Pulse Survey
We are periodically asking for feedback about the City’s efforts downtown. Is our work making a difference to your experience of feeling safe and welcome downtown? Tell us what you think.
We ran this same quick survey in August 2024 and March 2025. Since then, several changes have taken place in the downtown core.
Bellingham Police Department re-launched its bike patrol unit in early January 2025. Bike cops continue to patrol downtown seven days a week during daytime hours.
The City opened a temporary severe weather day shelter in November 2025. It was well utilized, and we’re working toward a more permanent day shelter opening this fall.
We gathered community feedback on the Holly Street bike lane pilot and adjusted the design in response.
Summer 2025 brought new downtown events and activations, including the Sunset Alley mural installations, window art in vacant spaces, and the Find Billy sculptures and scavenger hunt. We issued another five grants in January 2026.
We also issued grants for downtown businesses to host soccer watch parties as part of this summer’s Bellingham fan zone, which will bring additional visitors to Bellingham.