The City of Bellingham recognizes the complex challenges that can lead people to live in unauthorized encampments and is committed to approaching these situations with compassion and respect. At the same time, the longstanding unauthorized encampment between E. Stuart Road, Kellogg Road and James Street has created significant public health, public safety and environmental concerns that require a coordinated response.
Coordinated cleanup – Summer 2026
Several private property owners are working together to address unsafe conditions that have developed over many years on privately owned property between E. Stuart Road, Kellogg Road and James Street in north Bellingham.
This effort follows years of planning, property owner coordination, legal proceedings, permitting, environmental review and outreach planning. It involves several organizations, each responsible for a different part of the work.
The City of Bellingham is one of several organizations involved in this effort. Its role includes helping coordinate partners, providing technical assistance, supporting public safety and communications, and fulfilling its legal responsibilities where applicable. Property owners remain responsible for work on their properties, while other agencies are responsible for coordinating outreach, permitting and other parts of implementation.
Understanding this effort
This effort addresses the unsafe conditions that have developed at this location, not the underlying causes of homelessness. Responding to unsafe conditions and working toward long-term solutions to homelessness are complementary responsibilities. While work on housing, behavioral health, substance use treatment and other long-term solutions continues, immediate threats to public safety, public health and the environment also require action.
At a glance
- What is happening?
- Several private property owners are working together on site preparation, land clearing, cleanup and future restoration activities.
- Why now?
- This effort follows years of planning, legal proceedings, property owner coordination and environmental review.
- What problem is this intended to address?
- Unsafe conditions have created serious public safety, public health and environmental concerns at this location.
- Does this solve homelessness?
- No. It addresses conditions at one location while broader important work to address homelessness continues.
Why is this work happening?
The response is necessary because conditions at the site affect people living there, nearby residents, first responders and the environment.
Public health
The site lacks basic sanitation and contains accumulated waste, hazardous materials and other unhealthy living conditions. These conditions are not safe or healthy for people to live in and create risks for responders and the surrounding community.
Public safety
Large, entrenched encampments create unsafe conditions that attract criminal activity and make people living there more vulnerable to becoming victims. Fires, unsafe structures, limited emergency access and other hazards further increase risks for encampment residents, first responders and nearby neighbors.
Environmental impacts
Illegal dumping, accumulated waste, recurring fires, vegetation damage and habitat disturbance have significantly affected ecological conditions. Site work will visibly change portions of the landscape, but it will also enable cleanup and support future restoration.
How are people being supported?
Various organizations provide direct outreach services to encampment residents,including relationship-building, needs assessments and connections to available services, and have for many years. More intensive outreach at this location began before site operations and is intended to connect people living at the site with available shelter, treatment and other services.
Whatcom County is leading outreach coordination with support from the City, service providers and community partners. This approach allows agencies and providers to work together to address the different needs of individuals as they transition from the site.
Outreach will continue throughout implementation as resources allow.
What to expect
The work will occur in phases. Timelines may change depending on weather, permitting, operational needs and other factors.
Estimated timeline
- Early August: Notice to vacate provided to people living at the site
- Once the site is vacated and it is safe to proceed, access roads will be built and properties prepared for cleanup and timber harvest
- Timber harvest is expected to be completed before the wet season begins
- Cleanup and waste removal will continue beyond timber harvest due to the volume of material at the site
Before work begins
- Collaboration with multiple private property owners
- Outreach and service coordination
- Partnership with state and local government agencies that have direct roles
- Public and stakeholder notifications
- Property preparation and site planning
During implementation
- Site access improvements
- Property owner work, including logging where permitted
- Cleanup activities
- Ongoing outreach and public safety coordination
After this phase
- Additional cleanup
- Monitoring
- Restoration planning
- Ongoing property management and security
Who is responsible for what?
No single organization has the authority or ability to address every aspect of this situation. Each organization is responsible for a different part of the work.
| Responsibility | Organization |
| Work on private property, including cleanup, timber harvest, restoration and ongoing site management | Participating private property owners and their representatives |
| Coordination of implementation across multiple properties | Participating private property owners and their representatives |
| Outreach coordination and connections to available services | Whatcom County, with service providers, community partners and City support |
| Technical assistance, public safety coordination, communications and court-directed responsibilities | City of Bellingham |
| Forest practices permitting | Washington State Department of Natural Resources |
Background and project history
This effort follows years of work involving property owners, the courts, regulatory agencies, nearby residents and local and state government. The information below preserves the legal and administrative record that led to the current phase.
Legal Action
Before pursuing legal measures, the City of Bellingham made every effort to engage with the property owner and address the situation collaboratively. However, as the community continued to be affected by the encampment, the City found it necessary to pursue legal action to protect public health and safety. On September 25, 2024, the court declared the encampment a public nuisance and ordered the property owner to clean up the site. The court also granted the City permission to intervene if necessary. Below is a timeline outlining the legal proceedings that led to this decision.
Phased Abatement
As the property owner did not take action, the City has begun implementing a multi-phased, multi-year plan to address the encampment. Our approach prioritizes the safety and well-being of those living in these conditions while we work to secure the property. Ultimately, securing the property with fencing is our most effective long-term solution to prevent future encampments, as cleaning the area without securing it would not prevent the encampment from returning. Securing and fully cleaning the 20-acre property would cost millions of dollars, largely due to the volume of solid waste and extensive environmental degradation. Because of this, a phased approach is the only viable option for addressing the encampment’s significant impacts.
- Phase 1: Completed
- In November 2024, the City partnered with the owners of Tullwood Apartments to complete the first phase of cleanup and fencing along the northern portion of the property. This work prioritized improving safety for nearby apartment residents while beginning the longer-term effort to secure the site and prevent reoccupation.
- Map of E. Stuart and Deemer Roads phase 1 fencing and cleanup plan
- Phase 2: Completed
- The City extended fencing along a portion of the property’s southern boundary and completed cleanup activities adjacent to the new fencing. This work continued the phased approach to improving safety and securing the property.
- Map of E. Stuart and Deemer Roads phase 2a fencing and cleanup plan
For more information about the responsibilities of private property owners related to encampments, please visit Unauthorized Encampments on Private Property.
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