PSA: If you're thinking of moving to Bellingham, don't! (Seattle: middle-class, 2015)

[rkcarguy]

The Bellingham housing market has been starved by the Nimby's (and I believe mega-landlord movement as well) for so long that I don't expect it to ever lighten up and reach more affordable levels for the working class. It doesn't bode well for taxes because what will continue to happen is our tax dollars will perpetually go towards "filling the gap" in rent pricing for the low and low-middle income families that remain here, in section 8 housing. So for lack of housing for those of all income levels, every fast food and service/retail employee's rent and food will be subsidized by $1000+/month of the taxpayers money instead.

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

The Bellingham housing market has been starved by the Nimby's (and I believe mega-landlord movement as well) for so long that I don't expect it to ever lighten up and reach more affordable levels for the working class. It doesn't bode well for taxes because what will continue to happen is our tax dollars will perpetually go towards "filling the gap" in rent pricing for the low and low-middle income families that remain here, in section 8 housing. So for lack of housing for those of all income levels, every fast food and service/retail employee's rent and food will be subsidized by $1000+/month of the taxpayers money instead.

There is pushback to some of the ideas that our Socialist leaning city council wants to implement including allowing low income housing to be built in any neighborhood to achieve “equity”. That was in 2019 and the biggest supporter has left office after her unsuccessful bid for mayor. And, I don’t blame the NIMBYs for that stance. You work hard to buy in a neighborhood that has good schools and single family homes and voilà, you have low income folks next door which brings down property values. Some are okay with this and others aren’t.

[rkcarguy]

Originally Posted by xPlorer48

There is pushback to some of the ideas that our Socialist leaning city council wants to implement including allowing low income housing to be built in any neighborhood to achieve “equity”. That was in 2019 and the biggest supporter has left office after her unsuccessful bid for mayor. And, I don’t blame the NIMBYs for that stance. You work hard to buy in a neighborhood that has good schools and single family homes and voilà, you have low income folks next door which brings down property values. Some are okay with this and others aren’t.

I get that, that's not what my gripe is about. I wouldn't expect someone in their fancy hilltop neighborhood to be ok with a low income cracker box apartment complex going in next door. Not surprisingly, it's not the demographic that is suffering the most. Bellingham has an "empty middle" because you've got a majority of upper class and upper-middle class implants, and then a large balance of roughly 25% living in poverty on food stamps in section 8 housing and a huge waiting list for more. We need more middle class wage affordable units, and the area is so far behind compared to demand that it would probably take 20,000 new units to make a real difference in affordability.

[xPlorer48]

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

I get that, that's not what my gripe is about. I wouldn't expect someone in their fancy hilltop neighborhood to be ok with a low income cracker box apartment complex going in next door. Not surprisingly, it's not the demographic that is suffering the most. Bellingham has an "empty middle" because you've got a majority of upper class and upper-middle class implants, and then a large balance of roughly 25% living in poverty on food stamps in section 8 housing and a huge waiting list for more. We need more middle class wage affordable units, and the area is so far behind compared to demand that it would probably take 20,000 new units to make a real difference in affordability.

Yes, you are correct that those who are hurting the most are in that lower middle income group that has been priced out of reasonable rental and home mortgages. They don’t qualify for welfare but can’t afford pay for housing. The students take up a lot of rentals making the fat cat landlords like Hammer rich. And, the investor class swoops in to buy up more affordable homes then ratchets up the rent and repeat the cycle. I am kinda like you hoping for a bubble then those that have saved a decent down payment can then afford a home. Rents would hopefully fall.

As I have said earlier, our home is in a gentrifying area where one day, if prices continue to escalate thus increasing our property value, we won’t be able to afford taxes or insurance. Our land value increased 8% while the buildings went up 1% or 2%. And, those people moving here are white collar professionals from out of the area. This used to be a blue collar community where we would have potlucks and chat over coffee. Not these new people. Oh, they will wave at us while driving their Lexus or Range River but we poor white trash aren’t invited over. So, yeah, I get it.

[Baldy]

Originally Posted by xPlorer48

It looks like we agree on many points especially about investors and housing. There is a proposal to demolish 2 motels on Samish Way and build 2 5 story apartment buildings that will have market rents. Market rents are not aimed at lower income people no matter what ethnicity they are. One of my wealthy neighbors demolished a decent home....

The hotels were heroin-hotels. Good riddance.

The new apartments are for WWU students only. How that works: the apartments are rented by the bedroom, not the entire apartment. So, you rent a room for $1,000.00/month on a month-to-month basis. This is typical of all the new student housing being built: thousands of units.

They're being filled as fast as they're built, though. That's a good thing. Fading fast are the days of rich parents buying houses and renting out every square inch to students and others. That practice destroyed the Letters and many other neighborhoods.

While I'm against "low income housing", which is a fancy term for instant ghetto, I'm for apartments for the working class. Those aren't being built.

Demolishing homes to build new homes is a great thing. Most homes older than 25 years here are garbage. Very poor construction with zero upkeep has created a mess. I'm talking about all neighborhoods, by the way. South Bellingham (our best part of town) has very nice lawns and paint jobs, but inside? Not so nice.

A few more years of growth will change Bellingham forever. It'll be like any city, so at that point, towns further south will be a better choice. Heck, with these high taxes and diversity, we may as well be in San Francisco.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Baldy

While I'm against "low income housing", which is a fancy term for instant ghetto, I'm for apartments for the working class. Those aren't being built.

The City of Seattle has begun a project to build apartments for the working class. Of course, it took this long for them to finally do something about a problem that had been developing for years, but at least they're moving on it. Bellingham could consider the same, after studying Seattle's project.

"Low income housing" =/= ghetto, necessarily. IDK about the Northwest, but in the Southwest, the "affordable housing" developments are overall good neighborhoods with a mix of retirees, multi-generational families, and families of public servants who need low housing costs to be able to live in the communities they serve, if RE costs and rents have outstripped wage levels. (Think: cops, teachers, etc.) These are neighborhoods with informal neighborhood-watch programs, where people look out for each other and the other homes in the development. They're quiet, well-kept, and tend to have a nice community vibe.

[Baldy]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

The City of Seattle has begun a project to build apartments for the working class. Of course, it took this long for them to finally do something about a problem that had been developing for years, but at least they're moving on it. Bellingham could consider the same, after studying Seattle's project.

"Low income housing" =/= ghetto, necessarily. IDK about the Northwest, but in the Southwest, the "affordable housing" developments are overall good neighborhoods with a mix of retirees, multi-generational families, and families of public servants who need low housing costs to be able to live in the communities they serve, if RE costs and rents have outstripped wage levels. (Think: cops, teachers, etc.) These are neighborhoods with informal neighborhood-watch programs, where people look out for each other and the other homes in the development. They're quiet, well-kept, and tend to have a nice community vibe.

Bellingham is a working class town, so "low income housing" in a working class town equals Section 8 and below.

A house sold across the street a few months ago for $410k--it wasn't updated for 50 years. They've already turned the basement into an apartment and now there's 5 adults living in a 2000 sq house. That affects my quality of life, as it was a family home and not a boarding house.

I'm not retiring here. My wife is from Connecticut and she misses it badly after all these years. I want to go to Florida for the excitement. Wherever we go, it won't be in Washington state. I don't mind liberalism, but this state is beyond the pale. It's the Sodom to California's Gomorrah.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Baldy

I'm not retiring here. My wife is from Connecticut and she misses it badly after all these years. I want to go to Florida for the excitement. Wherever we go, it won't be in Washington state. I don't mind liberalism, but this state is beyond the pale. It's the Sodom to California's Gomorrah.

Gee, Baldy; don't hold back. Tell us how you really feel! Best wishes in your next location!

[kynight]

Maybe Bellingham will become less liberal after Trump shows them how it's done. Then the Bernie bros can crew back into their basement and off the city council.

[jskiing]

Not much good to say about the little isolated connection of small towns. Desperate job market. Recreation is far from city, and most people claim to be active, but a bunch of lazy people. The worst of Washington. Have lived all around the state. Though, Washington has become a selfish, overly competitive, place allowing capitalism and scarcity to make people desperate. Washington is mostly populated in the western part of the state. Mostly around seattle. The economy is garbage in most other parts of the state, and people are scrounging for resources, jobs, housing. Then they realize it promotes depression due to low vitamin D. It is the worst place for vitamin D deficiency in the country.