Whatcom Housing Week aims to address local housing crisis

The Whatcom Housing Alliance will soon be hosting its third annual Whatcom Housing Week. Several events focusing on housing solutions will be offered from Monday, October 21 to Saturday, October 26. Most events are free and open to the public, and will take place in Bellingham.

The Whatcom Housing Alliance is a partnership of 32 local organizations, including “public health proponents, economic development agencies, for-profit and non-profit housing developers, smart growth enthusiasts, private business owners and investors,” according to a press release. The Whatcom Housing Alliance formed after the success of the first Whatcom Housing Week in 2017.

“We have all come together around a shared goal, to create more diverse housing options in more neighborhoods that will contribute to prosperous and vibrant communities,” program director Rose Lathrop said.

Some of the events during this year’s Whatcom Housing Week include informational workshops and conversations surrounding Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), density and homebuyer education.

Lathrop said these events are intended to get more people engaged in the local housing crisis.

“Everyone has a connection to housing,” she said. “It’s about helping people recognize we’re all part of a solution and how we can get involved.”

Most event speakers are either members of the Whatcom Housing Alliance or visitors from Seattle, Portland or Vancouver. Fifty spaces are available for each event, so Lathrop recommends visiting whatcomhousingalliance.org/projects/whatcom-housing-week to RSVP.

“A lot of our events are filling up, particularly the ADU workshop,” Lathrop said. “But there is still room at all of our events.”

The exceptions to these open and local events are an all-member meeting for the Whatcom Housing Alliance and a private housing tour in Vancouver. The latter can only accommodate eight attendees, so those interested must call Whatcom Housing Alliance at 360/647-7093 in order to attend.