Bellingham Home Sharing Program

Page last updated on:

February 4, 2026

The City of Bellingham is bringing a new home sharing option to Bellingham to provide our community with an easy way to access more housing options, build connections, and increase financial independence. Bellingham home share allows homeowners to offer their extra bedrooms as rentals, providing much needed long-term housing options to the community in exchange for rent or, sometimes, chores.

We have partnered with a home sharing company called Nesterly to match home-share hosts with compatible renters. Nesterly hosts and operates an online home share matching platform, and handles all the practicalities, including user verification and background checks, secure automated payments and a customizable rental agreement.

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Help Spread the Word

Access our toolkit of Home Share flyers, images and more so you can help us get the word out about this new Bellingham rental option.

Costs

Creating a profile and searching on Nesterly is free. A one-time booking fee of $95-195 is charged upon confirming a home share, along with a 2.5% fee of monthly rent for ongoing platform use and customer support (rent is paid through the Nesterly platform; see below for additional information).

Eligibility

This program is open to all homeowners in Whatcom County who have an extra private bedroom and are open to sharing their home for a month or more. Anyone who is a resident of Bellingham or Whatcom County and is over 18 years of age may sign up to participate.

Hosts must own their home, and it must be located within Whatcom County.
You must be living in your home as a primary residence.
Homes can be any type of housing: single family, condos, townhomes, etc.
You must have at least one available room for rent, which should be clean and safe.
It can be furnished or unfurnished.
You must be willing to host for longer than one month. Leases are typically a few months up to one year.
Home sharing agreements can be tailored to the needs of the host and the guest.

Although most common for single individuals to seek out home sharing arrangements, couples and families are also welcome to join. Renters could be any person looking for a shared living arrangement: singles, couples, professionals, AmeriCorps members, students, and visiting professors have all made use of home sharing programs in other cities. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen in order to sign up.

While it may be uncommon to live with someone you don’t know, many communities have already tried similar programs and have found home sharing can have many benefits:

Shared housing costs: Home sharing arrangements can be more affordable to renters as well as provide additional monthly income to hosts.
Shared chores: Sharing the responsibility of chores and maintenance. Renters and homeowners also have the option to negotiate a work trade in exchange for a more affordable rent. It’s a win-win!
A sense of security: Creating an increased sense of safety for both parties.
A stronger sense of connection to the community: Home sharing fosters connection and reduces social isolation.
Supporting Bellingham’s housing needs: Being a host through Nesterly is a great way to help address the housing shortage in our community. Unlike short-term rental platforms, home sharing offers the opportunity for homeowners to help provide long-term housing options in our existing neighborhoods by offering extra bedrooms available in their home for rent.

About the City’s Sponsorship of This Program

In addition to more conventional methods, the City of Bellingham is also using creative ways to support our community’s housing needs and address the housing crisis. Home sharing is one of the more creative options we’re using. It allows us to increase our community’s existing housing stock by turning unused bedrooms into successful living arrangements.

We selected the Nesterly platform because it has a record of successfully bringing safe and easy home sharing options to communities across the country.

Share Your Thoughts

We are piloting this program and want to hear what you think about it and your experience with Nesterly.

Contact Us

For more information about program, or if you have recommendations for engaging host or renters, email homeshare@cob.org.

Frequently Asked Questions for Hosts

Nesterly takes many precautions to ensure home share matches are safe and vetted.

All users must complete an application, provide at least two references, and undergo a full background check. The background check includes a National Criminal Search, Sex Offender Registry, Global Watchlist Search, Address History Search, and Social Security Verification.
Before entering into a home sharing agreement, potential hosts and renters can meet via a secure video chat to ensure that both parties have a good connection.
Your private contact details and address will not be shared until a home sharing agreement is in place.

Rental payments are generally considered income. If you receive any public benefits, income from rent may affect those benefits. Please consult with your case manager or the program administrator prior to entering into a home sharing arrangement to check income limits and other criteria.

If you are concerned about potential impacts to your benefits, Hosts may consider the option of a task exchange to reduce rent-related monthly income.

>> More information about Whatcom County exemption and tax relief programs can be found here.
>> More information about City of Bellingham reduced utility rates can be found here.

Yes, you are required to own your home to participate in home sharing.

Rents vary depending on location, amenities offered, utilities, and square feet available. Nesterly will assist you in setting a price that is fair relative to the market rate in our area. Hosts are ultimately able to set the price.

To increase your chances of receiving a booking request, price your home share affordably. Hosts in Bellingham who list their rooms for $600/month or less will receive a Civic Leader Badge on their profile, which is the surest way to get the attention of interested guests.

Nesterly helps set up successful home sharing relationships through making sure communication about important issues happens up front and are outlined in the home sharing agreement. There are also ongoing monthly check ins throughout the duration of the home share to make sure things are going smoothly. If any questions or concerns arise, both renters or hosts can always reach out to Nesterly support staff, who are equipped to help navigate any issues related to the home sharing relationship.

Yes, you are in control of whom you choose to share a home with. Nesterly will assist with ensuring the compatibility of a match based on preferences such as daily routines, cleanliness, noise levels, pets, etc. Renters are encouraged to have a phone or video call before visiting a host’s home. Booking visits needs to be done directly through the Nesterly platform. If something doesn’t feel right, it’s ok to decline the match. For questions to ask during an interview, please visit Nesterly’s website for helpful tips: Nesterly Interview Guide – Nesterly

Nesterly will help guide hosts in creating profiles that adhere to the spirit of Fair Housing laws, as well as state and local antidiscrimination laws.

Home sharing agreements can be subject to the Fair Housing Act however, there are some important exceptions and nuances. The federal Fair Housing Act (FHA) prohibits discrimination in regards to obtaining housing based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation) familial status, and disability . There are some exceptions, though. If a homeowner is renting part of a home they live in (like a room), and the home has four or fewer units, federal Fair Housing law does not apply to that specific rental situation. However, you still cannot post discriminatory ads — the FHA always applies to advertising, even if you’re exempt from tenant selection rules. It is understandable that homeowners may have some preferences about whom they share their home with.

Frequently Asked Questions for Renters

Nesterly’s website is set up to help you find listings that meet your home sharing needs. The search bar allows you to select your max rent, move-in date and/or desired neighborhood. You can also use the filters (for example, private full bath) to narrow your options. Click “More Filters” to see all available filters and “Apply” to apply your chosen filters to your search.

Before signing a home share agreement, we recommend first having a phone call or video call with the host via the Nesterly platform. Starting the booking process will initiate a background check or identity verification. Remember that a booking needs to be made directly through the Nesterly platform. This helps ensure that you’re protected under our Terms of Service, cancellation policies and other safeguards.

Creating a profile and searching are free. A one-time booking fee of $95-195 is added to the first month’s rent upon booking a home share, depending on the length of the home share agreement. A small fee equal to 2.5% is also added to the monthly rent to cover ongoing platform use and customer support.

Task exchange is when a renter provides help with household tasks in place of a portion of their rent. It’s a flexible arrangement that can benefit both the renter and host. In exchange for a portion of the rent, a renter agrees to contribute time and effort toward specific household responsibilities. These might include cleaning, grocery shopping, yard work/gardening, pet care, running errands, assisting with transportation or tech help, etc. Personal care tasks are not allowed. Nesterly will help hosts and renters set clear expectations about the task exchange within the home sharing agreement such as what the task(s) are, how often/when, the approximately number of hours, etc.

Yes, home sharing agreements in Washington State are generally subject to the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA), codified in RCW 59.18. This law governs most residential rental arrangements where a tenant pays rent to a landlord for the right to live in a dwelling, regardless of whether the agreement is written or verbal, or whether the term is fixed or month-to-month.

Housing Executive Order

Learn more about the order signed in November 2024 that called for expediting actions to increase housing supply in Bellingham.