BELLINGHAM, Wash. – Overnight shelter space is becoming a major topic of concern as temperatures begin to cool.

Lighthouse Mission Ministries President and CEO Hans Erchinger-Davis said that space at their Base Camp shelter has been at or near capacity for a majority of 2023.

He expects the shelter to remain at capacity as winter approaches.

That would normally prompt Lighthouse to operate an emergency overflow shelter if temperatures get dangerously cold.

However, due to a lack of volunteers at other community organizations, Erchinger-Davis says that no overflow shelters will be available this winter.

The situation comes as Whatcom County reported a record high number of transient people during a Point-In-Time count earlier this year.

Despite the setbacks, Erchinger-Davis says he is hopeful that construction on their new Lighthouse Mission building will wrap up before winter 2024.