Summary: Buncombe County got input from the community on recovery priorities, but it’s not clear who they heard from (and who they didn’t).

The Facts: The County collected community input on recovery priorities, with their main tool being a survey that was filled out by 2,622 people. They have some data on this process in a report scheduled to be presented to the Buncombe County Commission on Tuesday, June 17th, 2025. (See pages 5-8 in this Helene Recovery Plan Update for that briefing.)

Our Assessment: The most resourced people in our community are typically the most likely to fill out these kinds of surveys – for example, the one the City did earlier this year collected very little data from folks who were low income or from Black or Latine people. Is that also true of the County’s data? We don’t know. The update being offered to the Buncombe County Commission Tuesday afternoon doesn’t include any demographic breakdown. It should.

Things to do: We invited you to join us in reaching out to Buncombe County leadership to encourage them to address several recovery-related equity issues. We met with County Commissioner Jennifer Horton and she is going to explore the issue and meet with us again. No action is required at this time.

Report Back

Updated 7/7/25: The GAP Strategy Team met again with County Commissioner Jennifer Horton today. She is still working on getting clear answers to our questions (see her email below), and hopes to have a more definitive report back in early August. We’re going to put this issue (and the one that follows) “on hold” until then. 

Updated 6/30/25: County Commissioner Jennifer Horton sent us a very thorough follow-up email, listing all the steps she had taken in response to our meeting. You can read the email below.

Updated 6/23/25: County Commissioner Jennifer Horton responded to this issue (and the one below) and invited us to meet with her. At the meeting, we had a thorough conversation about these immediate issues and our longstanding concern about the County’s inconsistent collection, publication, and analysis of demographic data. Commissioner Horton was very receptive to our concerns and will be following up with her colleagues and County staff. We’ll have a follow-up meeting with her in two weeks.

GAP Supporters Taking Action: 8

Recipients and Responses:

Buncombe County Commission

• County Commission Chair Amanda Edwards: No response
• County Commissioner Al Whitesides: No response
• County Commissioner Drew Ball: No response
• County Commissioner Jennifer Horton: Responded. See Below.
• County Commissioner Martin Moore: No response
• County Commissioner Parker Sloane: No response
• County Commissioner Terri Wells: No response

Email From County Commissioner Jennifer Horton:

Dear GAPAVL Team,

Thank you again for taking the time to meet and share your thoughtful insights during our recent discussion on government accountability, equitable data collection, and rental assistance distribution in Buncombe County.

I wanted to keep you informed of the steps I’ve taken since our meeting:

1. Data Collection & Equity
   I’ve reached out to County Manager Avril Pinder to request an update on the County’s progress toward the 2030 goal of achieving 70% comprehensive demographic data collection across departments. I’ve also asked which departments are furthest along and who is leading this work internally.
2. Rental Assistance Program
   I’ve raised questions about the current lottery-based system and requested background on how the model was selected. I’ve also lifted up Grace Covenant’s process as a potential alternative to consider for a more needs-based approach.
3. Direct County Contact for GAPAVL
   I meet with Avril today and will inquire who she recommends as the most appropriate point of contact within the County for the GAPAVL team to connect with moving forward. I’ll share that contact information as soon as I receive it.
4. Commissioner Engagement
   I’ve informed my fellow Commissioners about the meeting and the issues raised. I’ve also invited them to attend our next GAPAVL meeting, and I’m hopeful that you will receive additional engagement and support from the Board.

Please know that I remain fully committed to this conversation and to advocating for meaningful progress. I look forward to our follow-up meeting in two weeks and will keep you updated with any new developments in the meantime.

With appreciation,

Jennifer Horton