Housing

The Lighthouse Mission Ministries’ Base Camp provides shelter, services and support for the houseless yet hundreds opt to shelter on their own. Why?

A shortage of affordable housing, increasing affluence and tourism, and loss of island culture top lists of negative trends reported in the San Juan Islands.

Review: Homelessness has stubbornly resisted efforts of cities and nonprofits to find solutions; a new book analyzes the reasons why.

Salish Current and the Rotary Club of Bellingham want to hear your thoughts on homelessness — a reality for the well over 1,200 people in our area who lack housing.

How much tourism is too much? San Juan County sets a cap on vacation rental permits.

State funds have been secured for The Millworks, a multi-partner affordable housing project in Bellingham.

Unhoused individuals and families live in every county in Washington. In San Juan County, the problem is compounded by low-paying jobs in the service industry — among the lowest wages in the state — as well as the high cost of housing and a shortage of affordable rentals.

Whatcom County’s unhoused population has seen a steady rise over the past decade, making it hard to plan how to meet shelter and housing needs. But planning — a year or more in advance — is an important part of finding long-term solutions.

Inclusionary zoning policies that either incentivize or require developers to include some units in construction projects that qualify as affordable housing are being reexamined as a way to provide much-needed affordable housing in Bellingham.