Epidemiologist and public health professional Leah Wainman is challenging incumbent Huthman for the Bellingham City Council from Ward 2. Wainman currently works for the Washington State Department of Health as an Equity and Health Assessment Manager. Her public health work is informed by an equity and social justice lens. She serves on the advisory boards of Whatcom County Public Health and the Whatcom County Dispute Resolution Center. She also consults with the Chuckanut Foundation’s New Data Equity & Analytics Lab.
Wainman's professional focuses on public health, environmental justice, social equity, and public service clearly inform her campaign priorities. After moving out of the downtown neighborhood, she started to experience some of the inequities in accessibility to resources throughout the city. In our interview, she noted that the placement of the tiny home village in her neighborhood left residents without access to a grocery store and other necessities, further deepening inequities in the community. She hopes to utilize her professional background as an epidemiologist to advocate for health and safety measures, including improved transportation options, tenant protections, and sustainable solutions that minimize the impact of climate change.
In our interview, Wainman expressed disappointment with the current council's steps, or lack thereof, towards improving the affordable housing supply in Bellingham. Although there has been a push to develop low-income housing options, there remains a lack of middle-income housing that serves as a stepping stone for young adults and families. In response, she proposed greater support for land trusts and cooperatively owned housing in Bellingham, as well as greater mortgage assistance for middle-income households. While we appreciated her perspective and passion for the issue, the policies she supports would not adequately address the scale of Bellingham's severe housing shortage that has developed over decades.
Wainman's care for and thorough understanding of the issues facing Bellingham residents was evident. She displayed a willingness to learn and offered an intersectional lens throughout her campaign. Both Wainman and Huthman acknowledged that the council should be doing more to reduce the cost of living, especially when it comes to housing. However, Huthman offered a clearer vision for building enough new homes to improve affordability and meet the city's needs.
We lean towards re-electing Hollie Huthman due to her demonstrated track record advocating for progressive solutions for housing and alternative policing.
Epidemiologist and public health professional Leah Wainman is challenging incumbent Huthman for the Bellingham City Council from Ward 2. Wainman currently works for the Washington State Department of Health as an Equity and Health Assessment Manager. Her public health work is informed by an equity and social justice lens. She serves on the advisory boards of Whatcom County Public Health and the Whatcom County Dispute Resolution Center. She also consults with the Chuckanut Foundation’s New Data Equity & Analytics Lab.
Wainman's professional focuses on public health, environmental justice, social equity, and public service clearly inform her campaign priorities. After moving out of the downtown neighborhood, she started to experience some of the inequities in accessibility to resources throughout the city. In our interview, she noted that the placement of the tiny home village in her neighborhood left residents without access to a grocery store and other necessities, further deepening inequities in the community. She hopes to utilize her professional background as an epidemiologist to advocate for health and safety measures, including improved transportation options, tenant protections, and sustainable solutions that minimize the impact of climate change.
In our interview, Wainman expressed disappointment with the current council's steps, or lack thereof, towards improving the affordable housing supply in Bellingham. Although there has been a push to develop low-income housing options, there remains a lack of middle-income housing that serves as a stepping stone for young adults and families. In response, she proposed greater support for land trusts and cooperatively owned housing in Bellingham, as well as greater mortgage assistance for middle-income households. While we appreciated her perspective and passion for the issue, the policies she supports would not adequately address the scale of Bellingham's severe housing shortage that has developed over decades.
Wainman's care for and thorough understanding of the issues facing Bellingham residents was evident. She displayed a willingness to learn and offered an intersectional lens throughout her campaign. Both Wainman and Huthman acknowledged that the council should be doing more to reduce the cost of living, especially when it comes to housing. However, Huthman offered a clearer vision for building enough new homes to improve affordability and meet the city's needs.
We lean towards re-electing Hollie Huthman due to her demonstrated track record advocating for progressive solutions for housing and alternative policing.
Epidemiologist and public health professional Leah Wainman is challenging incumbent Huthman for the Bellingham City Council from Ward 2. Wainman currently works for the Washington State Department of Health as an Equity and Health Assessment Manager. Her public health work is informed by an equity and social justice lens. She serves on the advisory boards of Whatcom County Public Health and the Whatcom County Dispute Resolution Center. She also consults with the Chuckanut Foundation’s New Data Equity & Analytics Lab.
Wainman's professional focuses on public health, environmental justice, social equity, and public service clearly inform her campaign priorities. After moving out of the downtown neighborhood, she started to experience some of the inequities in accessibility to resources throughout the city. In our interview, she noted that the placement of the tiny home village in her neighborhood left residents without access to a grocery store and other necessities, further deepening inequities in the community. She hopes to utilize her professional background as an epidemiologist to advocate for health and safety measures, including improved transportation options, tenant protections, and sustainable solutions that minimize the impact of climate change.
In our interview, Wainman expressed disappointment with the current council's steps, or lack thereof, towards improving the affordable housing supply in Bellingham. Although there has been a push to develop low-income housing options, there remains a lack of middle-income housing that serves as a stepping stone for young adults and families. In response, she proposed greater support for land trusts and cooperatively owned housing in Bellingham, as well as greater mortgage assistance for middle-income households. While we appreciated her perspective and passion for the issue, the policies she supports would not adequately address the scale of Bellingham's severe housing shortage that has developed over decades.
Wainman's care for and thorough understanding of the issues facing Bellingham residents was evident. She displayed a willingness to learn and offered an intersectional lens throughout her campaign. Both Wainman and Huthman acknowledged that the council should be doing more to reduce the cost of living, especially when it comes to housing. However, Huthman offered a clearer vision for building enough new homes to improve affordability and meet the city's needs.
We lean towards re-electing Hollie Huthman due to her demonstrated track record advocating for progressive solutions for housing and alternative policing.
