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.