City seeks public comment on Community Development Action Plan by
October 12th
The
draft 2007 Action Plan is renewed annually, and proposes funding for
specific projects that serve homeless and low-income populations, address
fair housing and lead-based paint issues, overcome institutional barriers to
the production and preservation of affordable housing, and foster economic
development and neighborhood revitalization. The Action Plan identifies
particular strategies that implement the goals set forth in the
2003-2007 Consolidated Plan. Prepared in consultation
with the public, the draft is available for public review and comment
between September 7, 2006 and October 12, 2006.
Available resources for the draft 2007 Action Plan include funding from
federal Community Development Block Grant, HOME funds, Program Income,
Revolving Loan Fund, Section 108, and the City of Bellingham General Fund.
Activities slated for funding in the draft 2007 Action Plan include:
- Homelessness housing and rental-assistance programs
- Acquisition, development, conversion or rehabilitation of low or
moderate income housing.
- Kulshan Community Land Trust’s First-Time Homebuyer Program
- City of Bellingham’s Home Rehabilitation Program
- Bellingham Housing Authority projects
- Grant support for Human Services organizations
- Old Town Planning activities
- City Center Master Plan implementation projects
- Neighborhood Initiatives Program
- Section 108 loan program for major economic development and housing
projects.
The Budget Summary and Activity Budget sections of the 2007 Action Plan
contain a budget page and a breakout of the planned activities of Community
Development. This Action Plan is used in conjunction with the
Consolidated Plan, which is a comprehensive analysis of Bellingham’s
needs based on population and demographics, economic and housing
conditions, crime, and employment.
Some interesting statistics about Bellingham contained in the
Consolidated Plan include:
- Bellingham’s population increased 29% between 1990 and 2000, adding
approximately 15,000 more people. The primary source of population
growth has been in-migration.
- Between 1990 and 2000 Bellingham’s racial mix has become more
diverse, with the white population dropping from 93.8% to 87.9%, the
Asian/Pacific Islander population increasing from 2.8% to 4.4% and the
Hispanic population increasing from 2.4% to 4.6%.
- The 1999 median household income in Bellingham was nearly 29% below
that of Washington State and 18.7% below that of Whatcom County. Almost
21% of the population in Bellingham lived below the federal poverty
level in 1999, which is much higher than both county and state rates.
- The overall condition of single family housing in a survey of four
neighborhoods was sound, in part reflecting the investment of Community
Development Block Grant (CDBG) housing repair funds in the neighborhoods
since the 1970’s.
- Of the more than 7,500 very low-income households in Bellingham,
over 70% reported having housing problems. Most of these households are
paying more than 30% of their income for housing costs and utilities.
- The general trend of employment in Bellingham has been changing from
the higher-wage, career-oriented types of employment toward the
lower-wage jobs typically found in the retail and service sectors. The
average wage in Whatcom County has declined significantly since its peak
in 1971.
- Crime rates were a little higher in Bellingham than in the State,
but were low compared to Seattle. The leading crimes in Bellingham were
robbery and larceny.
Send public comments to David Cahill at
dcahill@cob.org by October 12th.
