BELLINGHAM: The Port of Bellingham is buying land where the City of Bellingham wanted to put an emergency homeless shelter for 200 women and men. The Bellingham Herald reports (https://goo.gl/o8tRZ0 ) The Port Commission voted 2-1 Tuesday to exercise its option to buy the property at 801/807 Roeder Ave. for $765,000.
City officials after searching for over a year wanted to put a low-barrier shelter at that location in a partnership with Lighthouse Mission Ministries. The city owns the property after a 2012 land swap with the Port of Bellingham. But the port kept the option to buy the site in case the city decided to allow something other than marine trades there. Port Commissioners Dan Robbins and Bobby Briscoe acknowledged the need for a homeless shelter but said the site wasn’t the only viable option.
