June 10, 2025

Building affordable homes with heart

Martens

A new chapter in community-centered housing in Bellingham is underway. A still-to-be-officially-named initiative is designed to meet some of the region’s most pressing needs: affordable places to live for families and seniors. Led by Opportunity Council, this thoughtfully designed development goes beyond shelter — it’s a commitment to inclusivity, sustainability and the power of community.

Construction on Phase 1 is now in progress and completion is expected in Spring of 2026. The location near Bellis Fair Mall at the corner of Eliza Avenue and Bellis Fair Parkway in Bellingham offers exceptional accessibility. It’s close to public transportation, key services and major employment hubs — making it easier for residents to stay connected. New bike and walking paths are being added by the city of Bellingham to further enhance access and neighborhood integration, while professionally designed green spaces will provide shade and park-like spaces.

PARTNERSHIPS GUIDED BY DATA AND COMMUNITY VOICE

Images courtesy of Opportunity Council [enlarge]

Phase 1 of the Opportunity Council project will include homes for families and an early learning center, while phase 2 will be tailored to older adults.

Every year, Opportunity Council, the Whatcom County Department of Health and Human Services and others work together to create a report on homelessness in Whatcom County. Part of a national program, the Point-in-Time Count is a community effort to understand the changing face and needs of people experiencing homelessness. Reports from the last two years demonstrate marked increases in both the number of families with children experiencing homelessness and older adults forced into homelessness due to fixed incomes and rising costs.

These reports show that at least 671 households are experiencing homelessness, and that applications for housing in the Coordinated Entry system managed by Opportunity Council reached new highs over the past two years. Internal data points show major gaps in housing options that are both affordable and accommodating to our community members in need.

In response to these critical gaps, Opportunity Council partnered with the city of Bellingham to develop a two-phase housing development project that could help.

When developing affordable homes, it’s important to remain sensitive to the needs of people who will use the space. Opportunity Council surveyed community members in Bellingham, including families and folks in the coordinated Entry Housing pool, on what they value in a home.

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Construction of the affordable homes near Bellis Fair Mall in Bellingham is underway, with expected completion of Phase 1 in 2026.

Responses about factors like location, amenities, common recreation areas, and how homes can best support people’s family, lifestyle and culture helped inform the approach to the project. For example, living rooms have been designed to maximize open space and flexibility, and the building’s common areas will be designed to host large residential gatherings while providing quiet, restful environments at other times.

The project is more than an apartment complex — it’s a long-term investment in health, housing and community resilience. And it wouldn’t be possible without the help of our many community partners helping address the region’s housing needs. In addition to collaboration with the city of Bellingham, a leading partner on this project, we’ve received support from Whatcom County, the Washington State Department of Commerce, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission, Whatcom Community Foundation, and Enterprise Community Partners, as well as a Congressional allocation supported by senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell.

We’re grateful to have received housing tax credits approved by the Washington State Housing Finance Commission. We also appreciate support from members of our local community.

PHASE 1: BUILDING FOUNDATIONS FOR FAMILIES

Phase 1 of the project includes the construction of affordable housing units designed with flexibility and accessibility in mind. Every home will be ADA-compliant and follow universal design principles, making them adaptable to changing family needs. Independent energy recovery ventilation (ERV) systems in each unit will help ensure fresh indoor air by minimizing allergens and environmental contaminants (like wildfire smoke) for a healthy living environment.

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Members of the Dawson Construction team walk through framed walls at the site of the new affordable housing project.

At the heart of the development will be a central courtyard, envisioned as a shared space where neighbors of all ages can connect through intergenerational activities, outdoor play, and community gatherings. Construction on Phase 1 began in early 2025, and the first residents are expected to move in by Spring of 2026.

One of the ways Opportunity Council helps families succeed is by helping children access the building blocks for healthy brain development through quality education. Classrooms across Whatcom County offer a safe place for kids to get the tools they need to be able to learn throughout their lives. Phase 1 of this project will include space for five different classrooms offering quality child care and a welcoming environment for kids to have the best support possible.

The child care crisis in Whatcom County continues to threaten the stability of families in our neighborhoods. As we get closer to the opening of the project, we’ll be preparing classroom space according to state guidelines so that we can host kids of different ages (specifics will be guided by community needs at the time).

The addition of approximately 80 child care slots from these classrooms will make a great impact and bring much-needed space for children to learn.

PHASE 2: WELLNESS FOR OLDER ADULTS

Slated to begin in 2025 and wrap up by spring 2027, Phase 2 of the project is focused on older adults ages 62 and over. Every detail has been considered to foster connection, stability and well-being.

This second phase will feature:

• Private spaces with calming color schemes designed to be sensory-friendly (for neurodivergent individuals)

• Enhanced air quality systems for health and comfort

• Shared community spaces to support intergenerational programs

• A community wellness room for exercise and movement

• Health provider flex-space to accommodate visiting service providers on-site

We will also be offering two-bedroom units to help accommodate older adults who need a live-in caregiver — or who would like to have a roommate to help offset housing costs even more.

We’re grateful for our community partners who are helping to turn this vision into reality. We look forward to sharing more milestones in the months ahead as we continue working to make housing a reality — not a privilege — for everyone.

Emily Martens is communications coordinator for the Opportunity Council in Bellingham.

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