Is Bellingham’s Cost of Living INCREASING in 2024? 😱 [The Alarming Truth Exposed!]

[@movingtobellinghamwashington]

📌Hey everyone, it’s Jeff! If you want my FREE RELOCATION GUIDE with information on all things about BELLINGHAM, WASHINGTON,, you can download it here: connect.buyorsellrealestatenow.com/bellinghamrelocationguide

[@Jason-hg1pc]

The cost of living started going up the day the Georgia-Pacific pulp-n-papermill closed, since that reduced the air pollutants, risk of chemical disaster and import of known carcinogens on an industrial scale. I moved here to finish high school (BHS, '89) and started working local Labor Union during the oil refinery turnarounds down south, but the city still had intermittent disaster tests that were attuned to possible train wrecks of multiple chlorine tanks, tidal waves hitting the oceanside paper mill (that expanded operations here during '90's because of shutdowns elsewhere) that is still an environmental risk despite closure due to some serious chemical operations happening on "infill", which is created land in the bay that turns to soup during an earthquake or volcanic tremble....certain siren patterns blared at night in public downtown, and thanks to Union employment, I learned that meant being prepared to head safely and carefully upwind w/enough supplies to await further news, and without looking back. Atomic war (50-60's) and chemical attack shelters were a set of archaic tunnels that met up under the high school I attended and I only know of their existence because I was assigned to assist the janitor when I first got in trouble after moving here from a major multicultural metro area (aka Sea-Tac). The end of high school and the start of adult life here also led to acknowledge myself as a cultural and racial minority the jocks and farmboys couldn't intimidate and the cops had no reason to profile, though they did anyway and obviously. The art and music scene enlivened the social scene into an actual community, one that includes WWU, whose graduates often remain in the community while describing plenty of deteriorating factors in those communities they've lived in elsewhere. Western Washington University attracted some intelligentsia that upgraded the collective community mindset just as the terrain and climate had attracted previous generations of flat-plain food growers and processors of oceanic resources (aka farmers and fisherman) w/out totally displacing the local Native/Coast Salish peoples, including Lummi, Nooksack and other canoe-carving Tribal societies, becoming truly familiar and sometimes family to itself. Now I have metal architectural works around downtown, where some friends have opened restaurants and others have played as bandmates and/or DJ's, the creative factor is undeniable among the locals, the social attitude is "laid-back metropolitan escapee", we're about as far North and West as you can get (until you board the Alaska ferry) on foot, there's still plenty of room and lots of work to do while appreciating that independents do well while collaboratives actually succeed and corporations only visit during summer break.

[@movingtobellinghamwashington]

Hey @Jason-hg1pc Thank you for sharing such a detailed perspective! It’s fascinating to hear about your journey and the unique history of the area. It sounds like you’ve been a part of some significant changes in the community, especially with your work as an artist-blacksmith. The blend of art, culture, and the natural environment creates such a rich atmosphere. What do you think is the most important aspect of the community's evolution over the years?

[@Jason-hg1pc]

I'm the only artist-blacksmith.

[@movingtobellinghamwashington]

Hey @Jason-hg1pc That’s amazing! Being an artist-blacksmith is such a unique and creative craft. What inspires your work, and do you have any favorite projects you’ve completed?