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Bellingham · BEL-CP-2006 · Pages 1-77

Housing Element

This chapter provides a comprehensive assessment of Bellingham's housing needs, demographics, affordability trends, and special needs populations for the 2002–2022 planning period. It establishes visions, goals, and policies to ensure adequate housing for all economic segments, with particular emphasis on affordable housing, neighborhood preservation, fair housing, and support for low-income and special needs populations. The element commits the City to using zoning, financing programs, land supply monitoring, and partnerships with public and private organizations to address the gap between income and housing costs.

Housing Housing Economy Social

“Only 1 of 43 Housing Element policies (2%) include a concrete, measurable commitment.” Real Record SAY vs DO analysis · Bellingham Comprehensive Plan

About this analysis

Real Record applies the SAY vs DO accountability framework to every chapter of every Washington comprehensive plan we publish. Each policy in the chapter is read individually and scored into one of four buckets:

  • Measurable — the policy names a specific target, deadline, dollar amount, or action that can be verified later.
  • Strong — binding action language (“shall,” “will adopt,” “require”) without a measurable threshold.
  • Aspirational — encouraging or supportive language (“encourage,” “support,” “consider”) with no enforcement.
  • Monitor only — policies that commit to tracking or reporting but not to action.

The accountability score shown in the sidebar is the share of policies in the chapter that landed in the “Measurable” bucket. A score of 0–19 (red) indicates most policies use aspirational language without concrete accountability; 20–49 (orange) is mixed; 50 or higher (green) means the chapter is dominated by measurable commitments.

The underlying text comes from the official adopted comprehensive plan published by the Bellingham planning department. Scoring is performed by Real Record analysts using a structured rubric; the raw policy text and bucket assignments are archived in the Real Record civic data warehouse.

Read the full methodology, sources, and rubric at Real Record · About.

What the Plan Promises
Formal targets adopted in the Bellingham Comprehensive Plan.
Accommodate 31,600 new residents by 2022; 14,800 new housing units needed by 2022; 42,799 total households projected by 2022
Goals (16 total)
  • HV-1: Regulations encourage innovative housing and mixtures of housing types that preserve natural resources and consolidate open space.
  • HV-2: Increased housing density and infill exists in downtown and other appropriate areas, reflecting a variety of housing costs.
  • HV-3: Density bonuses for well-designed housing that complements existing neighborhood integrity supplement new opportunities for accessory and duplex/triplex options.
  • HV-4: Rehabilitation and housing financing programs support maintenance of older/historic housing, including programs to assist low income households.
  • HV-5: Increases in supply of housing for low income households result from assistance to nonprofits and inclusionary zoning provisions.
  • HV-6: On-going efforts to address housing affordability include streamlining regulatory review and reviewing infrastructure cost impacts.
  • HG-1: Bellingham has a healthy mix of housing sizes, types, and prices, affordable at the wages of nearby jobs.
  • HG-2: Consider long-term lifecycle cost affordability through cost-saving materials and low-impact development techniques.
  • HG-3: Increase housing opportunities for a broad range of income levels, including owner-occupied and rental options.
  • HG-4: Consider minimum density requirements for residential and commercial zones to preserve affordable housing capacity.
  • HG-5: Encourage live-work development as a way to minimize housing costs and home-to-work trips.
  • HG-6: Encourage upper floor residential units above ground floor commercial and office uses.
  • HG-7: Create and maintain sound, viable neighborhoods, and revitalize those that are declining.
  • HG-8: Encourage elimination of discrimination from the housing market.
  • HG-9: Enact clear land use and development procedures for housing development while protecting public welfare.
  • HG-10: Increase wages and reduce housing costs so a family with average income can afford an average priced home.
Stronger Policy Language (11 policies in this chapter)
  • HP-9: Promote increased housing opportunities for all economic segments and special needs groups in the community through the use of both private and public financing.
  • HP-14: Seek perpetual affordability achievable through non-profit-owned rental housing and certain forms of homeownership including community land trusts...
  • HP-17: Support reasonable enforcement of all fair housing rules and regulations.
  • HP-19: Provide for both detached and attached accessory dwelling units as a means of securing diversification and affordability in single family zoning districts.
  • HP-21: Ensure the availability of lot sizes that are small enough to be cost effective for developers and affordable for potential homeowners.
  • HP-26: Provide a variety of densities to encourage a range of housing types to meet the needs of different household types and sizes.
  • HP-29: Establish criteria to allow developers flexibility with planned residential design regulations and increased density, in exchange for better quality design.
  • HP-33: Increase funding for the preservation and development of affordable housing.
  • HP-34: Plan for and support assisted housing using federal, state and local funds.
  • HP-36: Give priority emphasis in housing rehabilitation programs to assisting low and moderate income persons.
  • HP-40: Monitor and influence state and federal legislation related to housing through organizations such as the Association of Washington Cities.
Show all 11 stronger policies
The four examples above are a representative sample. The remaining 7 stronger policies are catalogued in the Real Record civic data warehouse and indexed by policy number against the adopted plan text. See how policies are scored →
Aspirational / Monitoring Language (31 policies in this chapter)
  • HP-1: Encourage public and private investment to keep existing neighborhoods safe and attractive.
  • HP-2: Promote housing development that is compatible with the overall style and character of the established neighborhood.
  • HP-3: Encourage the rehabilitation of historically and architecturally significant homes in deteriorated condition.
  • HP-11: Encourage housing programs which facilitate home ownership for all economic segments of the population, including lower income households.
  • HP-13: Encourage a balanced distribution of affordable housing throughout the city.
  • HP-15: Explore incentives, strategies, and requirements to achieve a healthy mix of housing sizes, types, and prices...
  • HP-20: Encourage infill development on land which remains vacant or underutilized, in otherwise built-up areas.
  • HP-28: Encourage the use of innovative design by builders and developers to produce a variety of desirable, lower cost housing...
  • HP-32: Promote the incorporation "Built Green" principles in all housing developments.
  • HP-43: Encourage and support social and human services organizations which offer support programs for those with special needs.
Show all 31 aspirational / monitoring policies
The four examples above are a representative sample. The remaining 27 policies in this bucket use language like “encourage,” “support,” “consider,” or “monitor” — phrasing that does not create an enforceable commitment. See how policies are scored →

SAY vs DISCUSS: Did this come up in meetings?

Real Record has not yet indexed any Bellingham briefings tagged to this chapter’s topics. Browse all Bellingham council and planning briefings to see related discussions in context.

View Bellingham Briefings →

SAY vs DO: Where the Money Goes

Departments related to Housing Element in Bellingham — what the city actually funds, year over year.

Budget analysis for this chapter is in progress. Real Record has mapped 5 Bellingham departments to this chapter, but the FY2006 / FY2025 line-item totals are not yet loaded into our civic data warehouse. In the meantime, browse the city-wide budget comparison on the index page.