Frequently
Asked
Questions
Homelessness is a complicated issue arising from numerous contributing factors and .
There are many pathways into homelessness, but the two primary causes are extreme poverty and lack of access to health care.
The Homeless Outreach Team works hard to ensure that people sleeping outside or in vehicles have opportunities to connect with services and come in from the cold. For families with children, motels are widely available for use as emergency shelters while more permanent solutions are identified. For single adults and households without children , a wide array of shelter options are available, ranging from general purpose night-by-night shelter to specialty shelters, such as for people with mental health issues, minors, those flee domestic violence, seniors, or in substance abuse recovery.
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The City of Bellingham has previously offered funding to support a safe project. However, no qualified operators applied to operate the site. Neither the City nor Whatcom County have the staff or capacity to safely operate a site like this, so it will require a partnership with an organization that can supervise the site and ensure safe operations. Interested parties are encourage to reach out to the City or County if they are prepared to responsibly manage a site for camping or safe parking.
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Most encampments that are…
The City of Bellingham and Whatcom County have opened seasonal and extreme weather shelters in the past and have plans to continue such cooperation as long as the need persists. There have always been individuals who refuse to utilize existing shelter space, but the City and County strive to make enough shelter space available for those who are willing to accept it during dangerous weather events.
Homelessness