Next week’s forecast brings dangerously cold temperatures:
• Wednesday night (January 15): 34°F
• Thursday night (January 16): 32°F
• Friday night (January 17): 29°F
These temperatures are without factoring in any wind. With just a 5 MPH wind at 34°F, the wind chill could drop by approximately 5 degrees, making all three nights—and likely more—qualify under the county’s 32°F threshold for shelter activation.
This highlights the critical need for the Severe Weather Shelter to remain open, starting Wednesday, January 15th, and continuing for two full weeks.
Why Two Weeks Matter
The encampment clearing on January 20, 2025, is fast approaching. Dozens of unhoused individuals at the Bakerview/Northwest encampment will be displaced during the coldest time of year. Opening the shelter for 14 consecutive days starting January 15 would provide:
1. Immediate shelter for those displaced by the clearing.
2. Consistency and stability for those already suffering in freezing temperatures.
3. A critical window to connect individuals to resources, services, and more stable housing options.
The county has repeatedly claimed that operating for over two weeks would require additional permits. However, this 14-day period avoids the need for special permitting, as noted in city regulations. The county has no excuse not to act.
The Numbers Are Clear
• 2024 Point-in-Time Count: Over 1,000 unhoused individuals in Whatcom County.
• Severe Weather Shelter and Lighthouse Mission Ministries combined can provide 350 beds, leaving at least 650 people without shelter every night.
• 82 unhoused individuals died in Whatcom County in 2024.
This is an emergency. How many more lives will it take before action is taken?
We Need More Than One-Off Nights
The county has scheduled the Severe Weather Shelter to open on Sunday, January 12th, and Monday, January 13th, but we need consistent operations. The reliance on 48-hour forecasts has already left the shelter closed on multiple qualifying nights this winter. We cannot afford to continue this ineffective and dangerous approach.
What Needs to Happen
1. Open the Severe Weather Shelter for Two Full Weeks Starting January 15, 2025.
2. Relax or Expedite Permitting Requirements to allow shelters to operate continuously when needed.
3. Issue a New RFP for a Year-Round Shelter with sufficient time for responses.
4. Begin Planning for Winter 2025 Now to prevent a repeat of this year’s failures.
Take Action Now
Contact your leaders and demand they prioritize human lives over bureaucratic delays:
• Satpal Sidhu (County Executive): ssidhu@co.whatcom.wa.us
• Whatcom County Council: council@co.whatcom.wa.us
• Mayor Kim Lund: mayorsoffice@cob.org
• Severe Weather Shelter Team: wintershelter@whatcomcounty.us
The Time to Act Is Now
This situation meets every definition of an emergency. We cannot sit idly by as freezing temperatures and an encampment clearing put vulnerable lives at risk.
Opening the shelter for 14 days starting January 15 is the humane and logical response. The resources exist; now we need the will to act.
Sign the Petition Here: https://www.change.org/WhatcomWinterShelter
With Gratitude,
Tukayote Helianthus