As local landlords and community members navigate the many moving pieces of Bellingham’s housing needs, the City seeks to provide support through training opportunities. The City wants to help bridge the gap between the various new landlord and tenant based regulations by offering educational events, tips for regulatory compliance, as well as highlighting helpful resources.
Changes in the Bellingham housing market have resulted in low vacancy rates and a significant increase in rental costs. The current vacancy rate is approximately 1.79% and incomes have not kept pace with rent increases.
To address these concerns, the City of Bellingham enacted a new ordinance designed to provide some protection for vulnerable renters. The ordinance took effect on March 12, 2018 and applies to properties located in the City of Bellingham. Available online: https://www.cob.org/services/housing/landlord-tenant.
In response to the new ordinance, the Planning & Community Development Department would like to invite local landlords and housing partners to attend the 2nd Landlord Resource Training Event on June 27th, 2018 in the Bellingham City Council Chambers located at 210 Lottie St. The event will start at 6:00pm and will be recorded for future training purposes and potentially aired on BTV. At this event, Kelly Owen, a senior attorney with the Northwest Justice Project, will present on the new ordinance protecting vulnerable renters and how it applies to landlords in our community.
The second Landlord Resource Event comes on the heels of a successful first event held in December 2017. In partnership with Western Washington University, the first Landlord Resource Event took place on Western’s campus and was well attended with over 100 community members. Survey results from this first event indicated interest in additional resources related to:
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- Rental Registration & Safety Inspection Program
- Residential Landlord Tenant Law
