No response as of October 14 - we will post late responses within one business day of receiving them.

No response as of October 14 - we will post late responses within one business day of receiving them.

I would need to know more.

No response as of October 14 - we will post late responses within one business day of receiving them.

I would be willing to consider putting a specific housing trust fund initiative on the ballot and have the public vote on it because the public will be paying the tab. The devil is always in the details. I want to be careful we don't create more needy people by requiring them to pay more than they can afford to provide housing for others who may be better off financially then they are. I would need to see the specific housing fund proposal before I can say I will support it.

Yes.

Yes. I believe that the creation of a housing trust fund is a critical element necessary to fully address the challenges of home ownership and housing affordability in Bellingham. By raising funds locally, under local control, we will increase opportunities to leverage funds to get more state and federal funding to further tackle this problem.

Yes. I would like to see the Trust funded, at a minimum, by a combination of voter-approved Real Estate Excise Taxes and an Affordable Housing Levy. This fund can be coupled with existing Block Grant and HOME funding the City receives.

Yes, this is an excellent example of using our funds wisely.

Yes, we need a locally controlled and funded trust fund to begin a longer range approach.

I'd have to see more detail on this, but I'm open to persuasion. Renewable funding sources are a preferred over static funding sources when addressing chronic funding needs.

YES I would. I read the description of the state program and I would support a local effort like that for gap funding or helping a low income family to get a down payment towards a home purchase. I don't know how it would be funded or if that funding should be shared with the County.

Yes I support the creation of a local housing trust fund.

I advocated for creating innovative financing techniques when I lead the 1989 Housing Strategies for Bellingham Task Force using a strategy of tax exempt financing, municipal bonds and other techniques. The current Countywide Housing Affordability Task Force (CHAT) has continued the discussion of ideas originated in 1989. The CHAT group members and organizations currently providing affordable housing agree that a locally funded and locally controlled housing trust fund is necessary. There is debate as to the appropriate funding mechanism for this Housing Trust Fund. Some advocate creating a separate tax source by asking the voters to approve a special real estate excise tax. I believe a significant opportunity exists to solicit investment from financial institutions, private individuals, businesses and foundations to build the funding core before we explore other sources.

Yes I would

A local effort to collect funds for a local housing trust fund sounds like a good idea. However, I would want to know the details. We need to keep our focus on the number of units created, regardless of whether the money comes from the city, state, or federal level. There are efforts on all of these levels of government for additional funding as well as from non-profits. There are also many ways the city can increase the number of affordable units built without the expenditure of any city funds thru updating the antiquated zoning policies regarding placing housing in our mixed use centers. The city should also look at creating incentives for builders to construct affordable housing and removing regulatory barriers.

A reliable and locally controlled source of funding for housing affordability is a good idea, but it is crucially important to identify the source(s) of funding up front. Currently, new development pays only a portion of the true costs for municipal infrastructure, shifting the burden to the general fund. It is possible that higher impact fees, closer to true costs, would free up general fund dollars that might be used to establish a local Housing Trust Fund. I would also like to hear a discussion of the relationship between the roles and mission of a public trust fund, compared to the role and mission of the existing non-profit community land trust.

No response as of October 14 - we will post late responses within one business day of receiving them.

No response as of October 14 - we will post late responses within one business day of receiving them.