Bellingham hiring for two full-time positions to ‘support renters and property managers’

The city of Bellingham is hiring a full-time rental protection program specialist and a full-time residential rental inspector as part of efforts to prioritize local tenant well-being — a population that makes up 54% of Bellingham residents.

“Renter health and safety is a priority for the city and a topic of concern in our community,” said Director of Planning and Community Development Blake Lyon in a statement to The Bellingham Herald. “These new positions allow us to better ensure compliance with program requirements, and better support renters and property managers more broadly.”

For years Bellingham renters have echoed concerns about the living standards of their units.

Local tenant advocacy groups have become more public about the need for stronger renter protections as housing units continue to be documented with code violations and safety hazards such as mold, asbestos or a lack of heat — all while rental costs are skyrocketing .

The specialist position will implement rental protections, oversee the daily operations of the Rental Registration and Safety Inspection Program, monitor compliance with the inspection process, and support education and outreach to tenants, property management companies and property owners. They will also help evaluate other rental protection measures and programs that the city may want to consider in the future, according to Lyon.

The position is salaried and advertises an annual pay range between $85,668 and $103,788.

The inspector will inspect and monitor market rate and subsidized residential rental dwelling units in accordance with established procedures of the Rental Registration and Safety Inspection Program and in compliance with the Bellingham Municipal Code and inspection requirements for local, state and federally funded residential dwelling units, according to the job listing. The position is also responsible for evaluating structural, plumbing, mechanical, and other building systems for compliance with applicable codes and other regulations related to the safety, health and welfare of renters.

The position is paid hourly and advertises a starting pay rate of $32.91/hour. The full hourly range for the position is $32.91 to $40.42.

These positions are being funded by fee structure revisions made to the Rental Registration and Safety Inspection Program that were approved by the Bellingham City Council in 2023.

The additional inspector position will increase the number of city inspectors to three. Bellingham’s rental inspection program was enacted in 2015, and registration and inspections began in 2016. All 20,000 rental units registered on 5,000 properties within the city are examined in geographic sectors, over a period of a few years.

About 70% of landlords let the city’s Planning and Community Development Department conduct these evaluations, but about 30% of landlords pay for a private inspection , according to a report on the citywide registration and inspection program in April 2023.

Landlords who pay for a private assessment of their rental properties in Bellingham almost never fail the inspections. That compares to a 15% failure rate among property owners who allow city of Bellingham officials to examine their rental units for compliance with health and safety standards.