Learn how housing needs vary across race, ethnicity and disability status in our community and comment on the City’s draft plan for addressing disparities and barriers. The City’s draft Assessment of Fair Housing report is available for public comment through October 28, 2022.
View the report online or at the Help Desk of the Bellingham Public Library’s Central Library downtown. Comments may be provided through the Consolidated Plan page of Engage Bellingham or by contacting the Planning and Community Development Department at cd@cob.org or (360) 778-8300.
The Assessment of Fair Housing, required by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), looks at how our community is carrying out fair housing practices based on standard questions that are asked of communities across the country. It is designed to identify fair housing issues in the community, determine the factors that significantly contribute to the identified issues, and develop a plan to overcome them.
Fair housing refers to policies and actions that prevent discrimination, expand choices, and address racial and economic disparities in housing. It involves both increasing investment in underserved communities and fostering inclusive neighborhoods throughout the City.
The Assessment of Fair Housing contributes to the City’s Consolidated Plan, which is developed every five years and determines how federal HUD and local housing funds will be spent.
Over the past few months, City staff have been meeting with our low-income and special needs neighbors to learn directly about their priorities for Bellingham’s housing and services programs, connecting with residents of public housing, manufactured home parks, families with school-age children, seniors, farmworkers, adults with disabilities, and others.
The public engagement process and other information about the Assessment of Fair Housing is detailed on the Consolidated Plan page of Engage Bellingham. For more information, contact Planning and Community Development at cd@cob.org or (360) 778-8300.
