BELLINGHAM, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – Tenants in Bellingham will have more security regarding their mail starting next year.
The Bellingham City Council approved an ordinance on Monday, August 12, requiring landlords to install locking mailboxes for all residents of their rental properties.
According to Blake Lyon, director of planning and community development, Bellingham has seen a spike in mail thefts since 2022. He argues that the increase in mail thefts is accompanied by a similar increase in identity theft and financial crime.
Council member Lisa Anderson spoke in favor of the ordinance, pointing out the disproportionate impact that mail theft has on victims.
“The people who can least afford identity theft tend to be the most affected because they don’t have secure mailboxes because they live in rental properties,” Anderson said.
Anderson also took action against landlords who had approached the city council saying they had to increase rent to cover the cost of installing a locked mailbox.
“If that’s your perception of the role of a responsible property owner who rents in this community, I say shame on you,” Anderson said.
The decision came after the city passed a measure in 2015 requiring the installation of locked mailboxes in all new rental apartments. Now, all other rental properties in the city must comply with the requirement by January 1, 2025.
The city announced that it would grant a one-time extension until March 1, 2025, for individual properties with special circumstances on a case-by-case basis.
According to the city’s housing statistics, more than half of the housing units in Bellingham are rental apartments.
