Bellingham Board of Health Orders Mold Inspection of Housing Authority Unit

BELLINGHAM — June 16, 2026 — Bellingham Board of Health directs mold inspection of subsidized housing unit and delays septic system ban vote. At the June 16 meeting, health agent Dylan committed to inspect a Bellingham Housing Authority unit at 117 Santa Street at 8:30 a.m. the following morning after tenant Vania described unresolved mold conditions affecting her asthmatic son and seven-month-old infant, with complaints dating to 2022 going unanswered. Member Richard Gilbert argued against rushing a ban on infiltrator-style septic chambers, citing a Boston Globe article reporting that a Bellingham town meeting had already rejected a similar measure overwhelmingly and that a state bill is moving to strip boards of health of authority to impose such bans. The board also heard a preliminary pitch for joining the Metacomet Health Alliance, a regional shared-services collaborative with Wrentham, Medway, and Franklin that would provide backup public health nursing and food inspection at an estimated annual cost of $10,000 to Bellingham after the current funded year expires; the board asked for a memorandum of understanding before any vote.