Bellingham City Club

What’s Really Happening in Our Economy? A Look at the Trends Shaping Bellingham, Whatcom County, and Beyond

Economic headlines can feel abstract—until they show up in our grocery bills, our rent, or the price of a starter home. That’s why Bellingham City Club is bringing in two of the region’s most respected economic voices, Hart Hodges and James McCafferty from Western Washington University’s Center for Economic and Business Research, to help us make sense of what’s happening nationally, statewide, and right here at home.

Our economy is shifting fast—nationally, across Washington, and right here in Whatcom County. Hart Hodges and James McCafferty from WWU’s Center for Economic and Business Research will break down what rising living costs, tariffs, and the national debt mean for our community.

Housing is a major pressure point. Whatcom County now faces one of the toughest affordability gaps in the Puget Sound region, with home prices far outpacing local incomes. They’ll explain why this is happening and how it affects families, workers, and businesses. They’ll also unpack the K‑shaped economy—why some households are thriving while others struggle—and what these trends mean for our future.

Register by Sunday, March 23 at 6 pm.

Bellingham City Club - "It's the Economy Stupid"

Coming March 25: “It’s the Economy, Stupid”

Get an unfiltered look at where our economy is headed with Hart Hodges and James McCafferty from WWU’s Center for Economic and Business Research.

They’ll break down what’s happening nationally, across Washington, and right here in Whatcom County—covering rising living costs, tariffs, and other forces shaping our financial reality.

Housing will take center stage too. Whatcom County now has the worst housing affordability in the entire Puget Sound region when comparing home prices to incomes. They’ll explain why, what’s driving it, and what it means for local families and businesses.

Hear a clear explanation of what a K‑shaped economy looks like with widening income inequality: some households thriving and others falling further behind. Most importantly, hear how they connect the dots on what these trends mean for our community’s future—and what we should be paying attention to next.

Join us to find out. Register today! https://bhamcityclub.wildapricot.org/event-6598696/registration

Join Bellingham City Club at our August Election Forum. Races for three City Council seats, three County Council seats, and a Port Commissioner are on the ballot along with several initiatives this November. To help our members make informed choices, we will be holding candidate and initiative forums in August, September, and October.
For August, we have scheduled candidate forums for Whatcom County Council District 2, Boyle vs. Morales; Bellingham City Council District 2, Huthman vs. Wainman; and Bellingham City Council District 4, Williams vs. Burnside.

Please purchase tickets in advance by 6:00 pm Sunday, August 24. www.BellinghamCityClub.org or https://bhamcityclub.wildapricot.org/event-6192334/registration
Only a few lunch tickets will be available for purchase at the door. *Tickets are nonrefundable.

• Caterer: Caterer: Guud Bowls
• Location: Bellingham Yacht Club, 2625 S Harbor Loop Drive. Bellingham City Club meets in person monthly on the fourth Wednesday, except November and December.
• Time: Doors open at 11:30 am. A buffet luncheon starts at 11:45 am. Meeting runs from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm.
• Ticket prices: Member, $25; Non-member, $30; Youth under 25, $10; Program only (no meal), $10. Tickets are non-refundable.

Founded in 1993, the Bellingham City Club is a non-partisan civic organization with over 350 members that fosters dialogue and debate on important issues facing our community.
Meetings are scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of each month (except November and December) from 12 noon to 1:30 pm.

Coming June 25: The Constitution, the Supreme Court and the Executive Branch – Where Are We Today?
Join Bellingham City Club in welcoming our June speaker, Garrett Epps, Professor of Practice at the University of Oregon School of Law, and a nationally renowned Constitutional scholar, law professor, podcaster and journalist, formerly with The Atlantic and now the Washington Monthly, who will provide perspective on current events with the Supreme Court and Executive Branch. In the first 100 days in office, President Trump issued 137 executive orders, resulting in 227 lawsuits challenging his executive orders. Professor Garrett Epps will explore the constitutional context of this historic time and help us understand what it means to all of us.
Please purchase tickets in advance by 6:00pm Sunday, June 22. www.BellinghamCityClub.org.
Register: https://bhamcityclub.wildapricot.org/event-6192334/registration
Only a few lunch tickets will be available for purchase at the door.
• Time: Doors open at 11:30 am. A buffet luncheon starts at 11:45 am. Meeting runs from 12:00 pm to 1:30 pm.
• Ticket prices: Member, $25; Non-member, $30; Youth under 25, $10; Program only (no meal), $10. Tickets are non-refundable.

Mission of Bellingham City Club: To inform, connect, and engage our community to strengthen the civic health of our region. Founded in 1993 by a group of citizens, we are a non-partisan civic organization of around 500 members. We foster dialogue and debate on important issues facing our community.
FMI: Allison Roberts, [email protected] (360) 671-5172 [email protected]