Analysis by Lorena Bentley
Last Updated: May, 23rd 2024
This waiting list is for Public Housing rental housing assistance in Bellingham County, Washington.
The Bellingham and Whatcom County Housing Authorities (BWCHA) last accepted Public Housing waiting list applications for 3 and 4-Bedroom apartments for the City of Bellingham from July 17, 2023, until the earliest confirmed close date of May 23, 2024. There is no notice when this waiting list will reopen.
To apply during the opening period, applicants were required to complete the online application.
This waiting list had the following preferences:
It was not known how selected applicants were placed on the waiting list, weighed by order of preferences.
For more information, visit the BWCHA website.
Sources: This information was verified by the BWCHA on May 23, 2024.
City of Bellingham, 3 and 4 Bedroom has preferences for: Displaced by Government Action, Current PHA Residents. Preferences are not required but Public Housing applicants that meet these criteria will be moved up the waiting list.
City of Bellingham, 3 and 4 Bedroom Public Housing Waiting List is managed by Bellingham Housing Authority.
Bellingham Housing Authority provides affordable housing for up to 2,334 low- and moderate-income households through its Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher and public housing programs.
This housing agency serves Whatcom County, Washington.
After applying, it's a good practice to keep a record of any application that you submit. This will help you keep track of your application, and is especially useful if you apply to multiple waiting lists. You can do this easily with a document on your computer or mobile device, and also with a notebook or piece of paper.
Make sure to write down your application or confirmation number with the application details. This number will be important to reference in the future. Once you have this information written, keep it stored in a place that's easy to access when you need it.
With this information safely stored, all you have left to do is wait to find out if you've been selected for the waiting list.
Depending on the area, it may take weeks or even months to know if you've been selected for the waiting list. Your wait for an announcement is usually the longest in areas with large populations and a high demand for housing assistance.
Check if the public notice states when the housing authority plans to announce the results, or how long it may take to review applications. Contact the housing authority if this information isn't available.
Once all applications are reviewed, the housing authority will either contact everyone who has been placed on the waiting list, or message everyone who applied to check their results.
The housing authority will use the contact information you give in the application to reach you (usually by mail, email, or phone). For this reason, it is very important to put valid contact information on your application. Make sure you keep your contact information up to date, and that you respond quickly if any further action is required.
If you don't get contacted by the housing authority, it might mean that you were not chosen for the waiting list. Sometimes, housing authorities do not contact applicants who were not placed on the waiting list. Check with the housing authority for confirmation.
To check your status on the waiting list, you usually have to log into an online portal, call a phone number, or visit the office. Each housing authority has different ways for you to check your status.
Some housing authorities will give your spot on the waiting list, but others might only confirm that you're still on the waiting list. Make sure that you have your application or confirmation number with you when checking your status.
To update your waiting list application, you usually have to log into an online portal, call a phone number, or submit a form to the office. Each housing authority has different ways for you to update your application.
Make sure that you have your application or confirmation number with you when updating your application.
You cannot apply for a waiting list that is closed until it is reopened by the housing authority. It is not known when the housing authority will announce the next opening.
To apply online, an electronic form must be submitted to the housing authority on the internet. Many online applications require an account to be created to log in, and also a valid email address.
If you are considering applying to live in a Public Housing unit, you may be interested to know who already lives in these units, and what the households tend to look like. Fortunately, we can provide some helpful statistics using HUD's 2023 Picture of Subsidized Households. The following data describes the economic and demographic characteristics of renters who live in Public Housing units provided by Bellingham Housing Authority.
At the start of 2024, Bellingham Housing Authority was managing 504 Public Housing units. Of the total number of units managed, there were 499 units occupied. This represents 99% of the total number of Public Housing units managed by Bellingham Housing Authority.
According to HUD, there is a total of 666 people living in Public Housing units managed by Bellingham Housing Authority, with the average number of people per household being 1.
The 499 households living in Public Housing units at the start of 2024 waited on average 25 months before being able to move in. Of those households, 45 occupied their unit in the last year. This represents 9 percent of Public Housing tenants in units managed by Bellingham Housing Authority.
The Bellingham Housing Authority Public Housing program that this waiting list covers had 99% of its units occupied by households with 1% unoccupied at the start of 2024.
Of the 499 Public Housing households in units managed by Bellingham Housing Authority, 55 have at least one child. There are 5 two-parent households in the Bellingham Housing Authority Public Housing units, and 50 single-parent households. There were 50 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for Bellingham Housing Authority Public Housing tenant households is $17,162 The average annual income per person is $12,910 The average Public Housing household annual income is 25% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 10 | 2% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 30 | 6% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 249 | 50% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 95 | 19% |
| $20,000+ | 120 | 24% |
Of all Public Housing households, 60 (12%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 10 (2%) households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 423 (84%) households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).
For the Bellingham Housing Authority Public Housing program, the federal government covers the cost of, on average, $455 per month for each household, which equates to annual cost of $5,460.
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the Bellingham Housing Authority Public Housing program, the average family expenditure is $391 per month or $4,692 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $195,109 per month, which is $2,341,308 per year.
The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $110 per month. It is important to note this is not the actual cost renters will pay for utilities, but an estimate based on the energy cost estimates of the program.
Of the 504 households living in Public Housing units, 379 (76%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 85 (17%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 35 (7%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 8% of Public Housing households are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
20% of Bellingham Housing Authority Public Housing program households have a minority head of household who is Black, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander; or of Hispanic ethnicity.
| Race | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 25 | 5% |
| Black Non-Hispanic | 15 | 3% |
| Native American/Alaskan | 10 | 2% |
| White Non-Hispanic | 399 | 80% |
| Black Hispanic | 0 | 0% |
| White Hispanic | 40 | 8% |
| Other Hispanic | 5 | 1% |
| Age Range of Head of Household | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Under 24 | 0 | 0% |
| 25-50/td> | 130 | 26% |
| 51-61 | 120 | 24% |
| 62-84 | 235 | 47% |
| 85 or Older | 15 | 3% |
Know your rights as a Section 8 tenant.
Some states and local governments have laws that protect renters with a Section 8 voucher who are looking for an available unit. Check your local laws.Lela Mima says:
"I love that this website lets you know where Section 8 will be open, and you have choices to pick where to apply. Thank you Affordable Housing Online!"