2020 Housing Luminary Awards
The Housing Luminary Awards honor individuals, nonprofits, and businesses whose work has made a significant impact benefiting the local community. They have demonstrated excellence in leadership, collaboration, ingenuity, and strength.
Influential Person Award
Award Winner: Noriko Lao
A core volunteer for many organizations around the community including Interfaith Coalition and Habitat for Humanity in Whatcom County, Noriko has been a leading force on Habitat for Humanity's construction site. In addition to donating her time (Over 500 hours/year to Habitat alone), Noriko donates funds and, most recently, her old home to Interfaith Coalition to help local families well into the future.
Impactful Project Award
Award Winner: Telegraph Townhomes
Kulshan Community Land Trust and Habitat for Humanity Whatcom County partnered on their biggest project to date - Telegraph Townhomes. The first 8 homes are nearly complete and many more are in the works. This partnership has allowed both organizations to increase their impacted on the affordable housing crisis in Whatcom County. KulshanCLT & Habitat would like to thank Whatcom Community Foundation and countless other businesses and individuals for their support in making this partnership project a success.
Inspiring Innovation Award
Award Winner: Housing Affordable for the Workforce Funding
Homes Affordable For the Workforce is a county-wide project that proved Whatcom people know how to invent new revenue to invest in new homes affordable for the people who live and work here.
Community Collaboration Award
Award Winner: Base Camp
While countless individuals and organizations contributed to the new Base Camp, the following individuals played an outstanding role in this effort. They are the unsung heroes who dedicated themselves behind the scenes, without whose perseverance and community spirit the Base Camp may not have become a reality: Dr. Greg Baker, Bellingham School District; Tara Sundin, City of Bellingham; Jenn Mason, Wink Wink; Peter Frazier, Hotel Leo & Heliotrope Hotel; Bridget Reeves, Lighthouse Mission Ministries; Anne Deacon, Whatcom County Health Department.