City Council - Community and Economic Development Committee

City of Bellingham Community and Economic Development Committee Minutes May 24, 2021, 1:00 PM Mayor Seth Fleetwood Contact: (360) 778-8200, ccmail@cob.org Council Members, Hollie Huthman, Chair www.cob.org/council Pinky Vargas, Michael Lilliquist All meetings are held in the City Hall Council Chambers at 210 Lottie Street, Bellingham, WA, unless otherwise noted. Call to Order Roll Call Present: Committee Chair Hollie Huthman, At-Large Committee Member Pinky Vargas, Fourth Ward Committee Member Michael Lilliquist, Sixth Ward Council Standing Committee Meetings: Open to the public to attend. Note: there is generally no public comment period for Committee sessions. Standing Committee Members receive reports and information, ask questions and, when appropriate, vote on a recommended action for consideration by the full Council at the Regular Meeting. The notice of Committee Meetings identified below also serves as notice of Special Meetings of the City Council at the times identified as Council Members who are not members of the committee routinely attend and participate in the Committee Meetings. Committee Chairs give a report of the Committee Meeting at the Regular Meeting in the evening prior to deliberation and formal vote in the order shown below: Community and Economic Development Hollie Huthman, Chair Pinky Vargas, Michael Lilliquist 23000 1. Consideration of Interim Housing Strategies (i.e. Shelter) for Those Experiencing Homelessness Tara Sundin, Economic Development Manager, sought Council's acceptance for recommendations that were approved but need approval of long-term strategy implementation. Anne Deacon, Human Services Manager with the Whatcom County Health Department, identified shelter needs and gaps. Recommendations include short and long-term. The short term include: Community and Economic Development Committee Minutes Page 1 May 24, 2021   No families living in cars, need to provide motel stays for families with children.  Establish an overflow shelter, starting in November through March which allows for 30 more spots, rather than beginning in December through February as in past winter emergency shelters.  Continuation of current specialty shelters. Long-term include: (Tara explained.)  Relocation of Base Camp to a permanent home.  Establish shelter and services for people who are medically fragile.  Interim housing units for families with children as an alternative to motel stays. Committee members asked questions. Pinky Vargas moved to recommend approval of the implementation of the strategies as presented. MOTION CARRIED 3-0. Adjournment There being no further business, the meeting adjourned at 2:11 PM. Community and Economic Development Committee Minutes Page 2 May 24, 2021