Build Small Live Large

A community workshop to explore creative housing solutions

Join the Happy Valley Neighborhood Association and Sustainable Connections to explore how we can provide accessible, affordable housing and have a happy neighborhood.

Building off last year’s Yes! In my Back Yard Event, Build Small Live Large aims to take the conversation around expanding housing choices for people of all incomes to the next level. Now more than ever, people are looking to live in walkable neighborhoods that are near jobs, transit, and services. Demand on the housing market is increasingly making these places inaccessible for many. On April 14th, we’ll explore how we can provide accessible, affordable housing while also building vibrant, happy neighborhoods.

Thank you to the Whatcom Community Foundation’s Project Neighborly for their support and funding, this project wouldn’t have happened without it!

 The Lineup!

Free Lunch and Refreshments Provided

Ten By Ten

10 slides in 10 minutes

Seven presenters will explore how we can provide accessible, affordable housing while also building vibrant, happy neighborhoods.

 The Program!

WELCOME – Wendy Scherrer, Happy Valley Neighborhood Association

BUILD SMALL LIVE LARGE HAPPY VALLEY Video (EJ Visuals) – Ray Dellecker, Happy Valley Neighborhood Association
A short video by EJ Visuals, will have its debut screening at the Firehouse PAC. The video documents three families living in Happy Valley who have already living in smaller homes and are reaping the rewards.

KEYNOTE – THE POWER OF SMALL: How small policies add up to big rewards in the housing market Margaret Morales, Sightline Institute

10X10 – 10 MINUTES X 10 SLIDES – Rose Lathrop, Green Building, Sustainable Connections
1. Changing no to yes- Shannon Maris, Lightsource Design
2. Low Energy Living- Mike Roberts, Habitat for Humanity
3. What’s my house worth? Market Trends in Happy Valley- Heather Othmer, Windermere
4. Creative Housing Options- Carrie Veldmen, RJ Group
5. The Life Sized City- Christine Grant, The Institute for Energy Studies, WWU
6. Myth busting the tall tales, and urban legends of local housing–Chris Behee, GIS Analyst City of Bellingham
7. 10 planning takeaways –Darby Cowles, City of Bellingham

LUNCH – Catered by the Community Food Co-op

BUILDING OUR COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE – Daimon Sweeney
Now it’s your turn! Share your ideas in an interactive session about what would make Happy Valley your ideal neighborhood.
All of us together will distill the answers into priorities to guide future projects. Your input counts!!!

Special Shoulder Event!

BAAY Presents Us & Them
One-Act Play performed by BAAY teens, directed by Ian Bivin

Firehouse Performing Arts Center
Friday, April 13, 7pm
Free

Director Ian Bivins brings his masterful physical approach to storytelling to this human drama of what brings us together and what keeps us apart. Written by David Campton, Us and Them is a short play intended to be performed by a company of any size and any age. Bivins and 10 students (Ages 13-16) from Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth (BAAY) are proud to encourage community dialogue as they remount this production for the Build Small Live Large community workshop, happening on April 14th. No registration, just show up early! It’s a small space so plan on getting there early if you’d like a seat.

Thank you to our event sponsors!