BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – The Bellingham Planning Commission voted to approve changes to temporary shelter regulations in the city’s municipal code on June 26.

The changes include a simplification of the shelter permit process and the removal of a cap on shelter capacity, which applies to temporary safe parking areas, temporary tent encampments and temporary tiny-house encampments.

Before, a temporary shelter could house up to 100 people on a site. No more than 300 people were allowed to be housed in temporary shelters citywide at one time.

Shelters may be approved for up to two years, with one-year renewals if the sponsor and managing agency comply with permit conditions. Previously, shelters were limited to three one-year renewals.

The code changes ensure compliance with a 2021 amendment to the state law, which prohibits cities from imposing ordinances which prevent the citing of a sufficient number of supportive housing and shelters.

“While tiny house villages serve as a short-term solution for guests, we’ve come to realize that in this housing crisis, tiny house villages as a shelter solution are not a short-term solution,” said Tara Sundin, the community and economic development manager for the City of Bellingham. “We also now know how impractical it is to move them around the city every few months. Doing so is inefficient and requires a lot of resources.”