Rotary Club of Bellingham Tattler - MARCH 25, 2024
Tattler Reporter: Tom Grinstad
Tattler Editor: Catherine Riordan
Photographer: Aaron Booker
Shauna Naf
"Accessory Dwelling Units"
Opening Welcome:
With a mighty swing of his powerful arm, president Doug Cole called us to order. Several folks were levitated above their chairs from the peal issued from the opening bell. Doug sounded like a pre-school teacher saying, “look around, look around, what’s missing?” He meant of course, Sandee who is off on her first vacation in nearly four years. She has been with the club since 1970. What a trooper!! What a gift.
Another way to celebrate our members!
Doug demonstrated something he hopes will become a tradition in the club. He commended Bill Day for his voluntary obituary writing for the retired pilots of Northwest and Delta. Doug used a term never heard by this reporter before: “flew west” in lieu of “passed on”. Anyway, Bill has been keeping track, contacting family members, and writing the obits. President Doug felt that Bill should be recognized for this effort and encouraged others to recognize similar service contributions at future meetings.
Guests:
Aaron Booker introduced his son, Augustus Booker
Del VandeKerk brought Pete Kirman, "A musician and a gentleman farmer"
Zoom Guests: Felicity and Curtis Dye, John Pedlow, Mark Knittel, Ward Naf, NathanTwining and Shauna's mom Donna Parson
Club Events and Committee Announcements
Friendship Exchange Hungary Aug 25 (Hosts sign up now)
Prexy-elect Steve Ban took the floor to push a program known as Rotary Friendship Exchange. This year it has been organized by District Governor Dave Lukoff and his counterpart in Hungary. Basically, the program has ordinary Rotarians from one district visiting those in another district. Hungarians will come to our area 25 August and stay until 8 September. We need seven hosts for the visitors. The hosts will accommodate the visitors for a few days before handing them off to new hosts from different clubs. No one will host for the entire time. Please think about it and volunteer. It’s a great way to get some insight into, in this case, life and culture of Hungary.
Memorial Hearing March 29
Rob Olson noted that a Memorial hearing on the record for a superior judge who has died. Dave Nichols fits this notably, having passed on 11 January. This is tradition for the County judiciary. This will occur on Friday (tomorrow) 29 March at 3:30 in his courtroom on the third floor of the county courthouse, Department 1. The judge hopes that a couple of Rotary members will attend as Rotary was a big part of Dave’s life.
Food Pantry for WCC March 29
And prexy Doug pointed out that at the same time on Friday is the food drive for the Whatcom Community College’s food pantry. Please bring non-perishable items to the Syre building on Friday, 29 March at 3:00. All rotary clubs in Bellingham will drop off their contributions at that time. We will have a PR moment (photo op)
Meal Packing May 4 (Volunteers and Donors sign up now)
District Conference occurs on 4 May, coincidentally the day of our food packing day. Marty Haines assured us that we selected the date before the District. And he hinted that maybe it should be an event of the social committee – it is so much fun. So they can confirm how many supplies we'll need on May 4, Marty asked for volunteers to sign up and to donate for the meal packing day now. Event will occur at Assumption School gym. Last year, we packed 37,000 meals with 106 volunteers, including Rotaract members and other clubs’ volunteers.
The format for the Conference is family inclusive and the same day as our Meal Packing Event. President Doug is looking for members to register to go down with him later in the day, after the Meal Packing Event. Other options to participate include Friday, May 3rd for Bowling and a meet and greet and Sunday May 5th for a service project at Camp Korey.
Prexy Doug put in a plug for the Memorial Day Parade, encouraging all members to get out there and march. We have a Rotary float, which we escort over the mile-long parade. If you start conditioning now, you will be in shape to even run laps around the float as it careens down the route.
John Moffat introduced our very own Shauna Naf, who has been providing support to the real estate industry for more than two decades. She has advised on business and marketing strategies for the industry. And in the past thirty or so years we have all seen the prices of homes rise exponentially.
Shauna admitted at the very start that she was going to talk our ears off about Accessory Dwelling Units. She started by defining the term accessory dwelling unit – a dwelling that is subordinate to the main house. And she showed examples of accessory units: above a garage, attached to the house, in the back or side yard, in the attic space – you get the idea. A dwelling unit needs to have its own permanent sleeping, cooking and bathroom facilities.
Why have ADUs become such a thing? Well, the answer is multifaceted: the housing problem that confronts the nation: a lack of affordable housing. Actually, a lack of housing period. In the state of Washington, we are short several hundred thousand dwelling units. This shortage has caused housing prices to skyrocket. An owner’s housing cost burden ideally should be approximately 30% or less of income. In Bellingham in 2023 the median sales price of a home was $610,700. The yearly income in 2022 was $64,000. So conventionally financing (30 year fixed-rate mortgage) a average Bellinghamster would be spending 69% of their income to be housed. This trend also occurs in rental units. Thus, folks are priced out of housing. For each $100 rent increase, a 9% increase of homelessness occurs.
The cost of housing has impacts on our society. Professionals are moving out of state to areas where housing costs are less. We are becoming non-competitive. Shauna shared statistics from the state showing housing needs for Whatcom County, which come in just shy of 35,000 housing units. I didn’t catch all the statistics, for which I am profoundly sorry. But the long and short of it came to: we should nearly double the housing units in the city. Innovative land use could be part of the answer. This is where ADUs fit in.
Accessory Dwelling Units can: provide multi-generational environments, provide rental income, be a part of a retirement plan, or provide an opportunity for “condoization”.
House Bill 1337 has allowed all the above. It will take effect 1 January 2026, or sooner if adapted by local jurisdictions. Shauna went through many of the opportunities afforded by the bill. Again, I didn’t get all those. And there are many conditions – so you need to do your own research to see how you are impacted. She often goes to the planning department to find out what the restrictions are for the property in question.
Design is important. And Shauna went through examples of how to get an ADU to work in various situations. This included sample budgeting, and evaluating return on investment. All very interesting. Shauna probably would respond if you have any further questions.
Closing:
Doug thanked participants to close the meeting. The bell’s peal was significantly quieter than at the start of the meeting. His arm must have been tired.
RCOB apparel, including polo shirts, dress shirts, vests and hats is now available. These are items that every Club member simply must have in his/her wardrobe! Besides looking great, Club members will be contributing to branding for the RCOB as well as supporting our Club's Foundation, which will receive part of the proceeds.
Click on the button below for the the clothing catalogue, with the Order Form on the last page. Fill out the order form, turn it into Vinson Latimore at a meeting or email a scanned copy to embroidery@choicesscrubs.com.
