City of Bellingham — Planning Committee (City Council Standing Committee)

**Landlord-Tenant Advisory Work Group — Purpose and Structure** The city's rental registration and property inspection program, established in 2015, oversees 22,578 registered rental units in Bellingham. In recent years, the city has added requirements to support fair, affordable, and accessible rental housing. Staff framed AB 24929 as consistent with Mayor Lund's 2024 Housing Executive Order and with the Bellingham Plan's commitments to community representation in city decision-making. The proposed work group would operate for approximately one year with 9 to 13 members. The minimum nine seats are divided across three categories: at least four residents who are current tenants (including students in off-campus housing), at least three residents with landlord experience, and at least one person with community connections. The remaining four flexible seats — which would bring the total to 13 — do not have assigned categories, and the resolution as introduced does not specify how those seats would be allocated. Staff expressed an intention to balance large property management representatives with small independent landlords among the landlord seats. Planning and Community Development Director Blake Ryan (referred to as "Blake Lion" and "Mr. Lion" in several transcript passages — see Module 6) noted that applicants may hold overlapping identities and that categories are not strictly mutually exclusive; for example, a tenant might also have legal experience. **Membership Equity Concerns** Council Member Anderson's central concern was the ratio of landlord to tenant voices. She noted that if all four flexible seats were filled by individuals with landlord experience, landlord-aligned voices would constitute more than 50 percent of the group. She asked for assurance that the flexible seats would be filled equitably. Staff acknowledged the concern as valid and indicated the makeup would be shaped by applicants but guided by equity principles. Council Member Lilliquist noted that the three membership categories (A through C) are not exclusive — a single person may qualify in multiple categories — and suggested this cross-classification reduces the risk Anderson described. Lilliquist also called for age diversity in the applicant pool, characterizing it as a comment rather than a motion. **Income-Constrained Representation** Council Member Anderson's proposed amendment sought to require that at least one of the four tenant seats be held by an income-constrained individual — broadly defined as someone receiving housing assistance below 80 or 60 percent AMI, including Section 8, Bellingham Housing Authority programs, or other subsidized housing. Her rationale was that their "lens of what's happening in the rental" market is a critical voice, and that without a formal motion, such representation might not materialize. Council Member Lilliquist supported the goal but raised a practical concern: low-income residents may lack the time to volunteer, and the housing …

**Council Member Hollie Huffman (Committee Chair)** Presided over the session. Provided introductory context on the resolution. Responded to Anderson's concern about equity in the flexible four seats by noting that flexibility was intentional — the mayor and council would make decisions as applications come in, and Anderson's comments would be used as feedback during applicant consideration. Acknowledged Anderson's motion practice as consistent with retreat guidance. **Council Member Lisa Anderson** Supportive of the work group generally; expressed concern about membership balance. Moved to amend the resolution to require at least one income-constrained tenant representative. Explained the amendment as consistent with a council retreat commitment to codify priorities via motion rather than informal suggestion. Acknowledged practical recruitment challenges but argued that a formal motion creates accountability and obligates outreach. Tabled the amendment at the end of the session to allow staff to return with cleaner language for the evening. **Council Member Michael Lilliquist** Supportive of the work group and the income-constrained inclusion goal. Offered a technical refinement — suggesting "currently or previously" in subsidized housing — to improve recruitment feasibility. Separately raised a longstanding request for technical fixes to renter notification requirements, distinguishing those from broader policy work, and asked staff to advance them through an appropriate channel. **Council Member Jace Cotton (non-committee)** Observed but participated when invited. Expressed support for representation from affordable housing operators. Suggested intentional outreach — rather than a designated seat — as the better mechanism for ensuring that representation. Stated he would not support the motion as w…

**Council Member Lisa Anderson, on the concern about landlord-heavy membership in the flexible seats:** "My main concern would be if uh those additional four were all um landlord experience, then the ratio would be above a 50% and so wouldn't it be necessarily representative across the board of area of interest. So I would just like some kind of assurance that um it's still going to be there's going to be equitability in those additional four should additional ones get selected." **Council Mem…

**Before this meeting:** AB 24929 was a staff-drafted resolution creating a 9–13 member landlord-tenant advisory work group with three membership categories (tenant experience, landlord experience, community connection). No explicit requirement for income-constrained representation existed in the draft. No mechanism existed to ensure the flexible four seats would balance across categories. **After this meeting:** - The committee has formally flagged equity concerns about the flexible seat allocation. Staff acknowledged these concerns and committed to applying equity principles in applicant selection — a commitment that is now part of the public record even if not yet codified in the resolution. - Council Member Anderson's intent to require at least one income-constrained renter on the work group is now on the table as a formal motion, tabled pending language refinement. This is a materially…

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