Candidate Sought for the Housing Authority of the City of Bellingham Board of Commissioners

The City of Bellingham Housing Authority (BHA) is currently seeking one new commissioner for the Board of Commissioners. The vacancy can be either an at-large or resident (client) position.

The combined Boards of the City of Bellingham Housing Authority and the Whatcom County Housing Authority consists of five members, one of which is a resident position.  Of these, three members are named by the City of Bellingham Mayor.  The Commissioners are the governing bodies for both housing authorities and are responsible for approving decisions that chart the direction of current and future programs, and authorize the actions of the Executive Director and his designees.

Regular Board meetings are held the third Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m.  Commissioners serve five-year terms and receive no financial compensation for their service on the Board.

To be eligible for appointment, candidates must be residents of the City of Bellingham and be at least 18 years old.  In addition to these requirements, it is highly desirable that candidates possess one or more of the following qualifications:

1. Commitment to BHA’s mission to offer opportunities for people to thrive by ensuring access to quality, affordable homes;
2. Familiarity with the needs, conditions, and services available to lower income residents of Bellingham;
3. Experience developing, implementing, and monitoring public policy;
4. Knowledge and expertise concerning the successful administration of mid to large business, non-profit, or governmental entities and have served in a management position within such an entity;
5. Knowledge and expertise concerning community development programs and issues;
6. Knowledge and expertise concerning affordable housing programs and issues.

To be considered for appointment by the Mayor, please send a letter of interest and resume to:

Executive Services Manager
208 Unity Street
Bellingham, WA 98225

or by email at hr@bellinghamhousing.org.

An application must also be submitted through the City website at https://www.cob.org/gov/public/bc/Pages/Boards-and-Commissions-Application-Process.aspx

Your letter of interest should address:

• Your desire and willingness to serve on the Bellingham Housing Authority Board of Commissioners and indicating the strengths that you would bring to the Housing Authority’s Board;
• A brief record of your personal history and experience which highlights any of the above listed qualifications possessed.

Please also include with your submittal:

• Proof of City of Bellingham residency (Provide 2 of the following: a copy of your driver’s license; voter registration card; utility bill; rent receipt; or verifiable lease agreement.)
• The names, addresses, and phone numbers of three professional references.

This information can be mailed, e-mailed, faxed or hand delivered to:

Bellingham & Whatcom County Housing Authorities
208 Unity Street
Bellingham, WA 98225

Fax: 360-676-7747

hr@bellinghamhousing.org

An application shall have been deemed to have been transmitted by the prescribed deadline if all required information has been delivered by fax, e-mail, or by hand to the Bellingham Housing Authority or deposited in the United States mail, as registered or certified mail, by 5:00 p.m., April 7, 2023.

Once the deadline for submissions has passed, the Board will review all applications.  Applicants will be notified concerning the status of their applications and subsequent steps in the Board’s recruitment effort. After clearing the initial evaluation phase, candidates should be prepared to answer the following questions:

1. Have you had a civil judgment levied against you in the past five years?
2. Have you been convicted of a criminal violation?
3. Are you currently involved in either civil or criminal litigation?
4. Have you been disbarred from practicing law or had your license to practice a profession suspended or revoked?
5. Are you current on your taxes and other regulatory filings?
6. Is there anything that the Board should know about you that has the potential for causing embarrassment to the citizens of the City of Bellingham if you were selected to serve on the Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners?
7. If you answered “Yes” to questions 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6, please explain why you should be considered for appointment to the City of Bellingham Housing Authority’s Board of Commissioners.

Applicants must be prepared to provide verification of all information included in their application materials.