Community Development Advisory Board

Community Development Advisory Board Minutes City of Bellingham, Washington Thursday 6:00 PM February 8, 2024 Mayor's Boardroom Video Recorded https://meetings.cob.org Call to Order The Community Development Advisory Board meeting was called to order by the Vice-Chair at 6:00 PM. 1. Introductions Present: Baylie Collins, Jasmine Fast, Jennifer Miles, Karin Jones, Ryan Wood and Shannon Laws Jace Cotton (Council Representative) Absent: Aran Clauson and Brien Thane City Staff: Samya Lutz, Kate Bartholomew and Heather Aven 2. Approval of minutes from previous meeting Minutes from December 23, 2023, were approved by general consensus with the correction that Baylie and Jasmine’s name be corrected. 3. Link to Meeting Video Click here to view the meeting Public Comment Period During this time, citizens may take up to three (3) minutes to address the members about any topic not on the agenda. Citizens wishing to speak during this time will be recognized by the Chair for comment. Agenda Items Chair / Vice-Chair Election There was a discussion among the members and it was decided that: Karin Jones would serve as the Chair and Shannon Laws would serve as Vice-Chair in 2024. Update on current service grantees, annual grant process and open NOFAs Kate Bartholomew shared an update on the current service grantees, including the quarterly beneficiary reporting requirements. She provided an overview of the close-out report that each grantee is required to submit at the end of each funding cycle. Samya Lutz noted that over the next few months there will be opportunities to learn more about the agencies that apply for the funding the City provides. Review CDAB Annual Calendar & Discuss Speaker Priorities/Agenda Topics for 2024 Staff shared the results gathered from the members responses on which agency they would like to present to the Board. There was general consensus for staff to reach out to the top 4 – 6 agencies and request they make a presentation on their program to the Board. Those agencies would be:  • Bellingham School District • Northwest Youth Services (Human Services) & Whatcom Literacy Council • Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center • Northwest Youth Services (Housing Services) • OC Community Services – Rapid Re-housing • Lydia Place & YWCA Housing Staff reviewed the annual calendar and pointed out the different times that presentations could be booked. There was a general consensus that as many agencies as possible should receive an invite to attend and present to the Board. The Board reviewed the Future Agenda Items list and removed those that they felt was no longer relevant or necessary to remain on the list. Capacity building project – Housing Capacity Building Report 2023 Samya Lutz reviewed the report contained in the member’s packet of meeting material. She explained how the additional funding impacted the agencies that received it and the different services that City staff is offering to agencies. Kate shared some of the ways the agencies used the funding they were provided. Other Business 1. Staff Updates Samya shared a program update on projects underway, and offered to include the summary report again if there was interest in having it included in the packet. Samya announced staff changes upcoming, including two Development Specialist II openings within the Community Development Division. Samya shared that there is activity underway to find properties for future affordable housing development opportunities. She explained that both of the HomesNow! tiny house villages that currently exist in the community are coming up on the expiration date for their current location and must be moved. Samya also shared that technical assistance from HUD has been approved, and a third party consultant will be working with staff to ensure we have proper policies and procedures related to the HOME-ARP (COVID-related) funding being distributed. Three agencies are currently moving forward with contracting with the City, after the NOFA process concluded last fall for prevention and diversion programs; the technical assistance will help ensure we are administering the funding correctly. Heather Aven reviewed the 2023 CDAB annual report. 2. Annoucements / "What's the Buzz" The members were encouraged to use their circles of influence to share some of the conversations occurring at the meetings and talk about the work of the Board, and to bring back feedback from their communities to the CDAB meetings.  3. Future Agenda Items • A staff presentation from BHA about how the voucher system works (Section 8 and local forms of rent assistance) • How current planning / enforcement effects housing affordability • Presentation on role of non-profit vs role of government entity and ways they overlap and how they differ. Minutes prepared by: ____________________________________________ Heather Aven, Recording Secretary Minutes edited by both staff and Community Development Advisory Board members.