GAP Report for 5/4/26
URGENT
- 0 Items
PROBLEMATIC
- Buncombe County is advancing budget, land use, and investment decisions without any anti-displacement analysis (new)
- Appeal deadline for property tax reappraisals is too early (resolved)
QUESTIONABLE
- The 50 Coxe Avenue affordable housing development should do more to prevent displacement (resolved)
POSITIVE
- 0 Items
Summary of the Report
Buncombe County continues to make major policy, budget, and land-use decisions that shape who can afford to live here without any consistent effort to analyze or mitigate displacement. This week’s agenda is no exception. From the FY2027 budget to new public financing strategies and farmland preservation policies, the County is acting in ways that will influence housing stability across the community, yet has still not adopted an anti-displacement lens or framework.
This report highlights three key agenda items that illustrate the pattern: decisions affecting immediate funding priorities, future investment strategies, and long-term land use are all moving forward without any assessment of who may be pushed out as a result. Despite repeated requests, the County has yet to commit to even a basic displacement impact analysis—leaving critical decisions disconnected from their real-world consequences.
This omission is not an outlier, but the norm. In the past 5 months, we’ve lifted up 22 distinct policy decisions that the County was making without any assessment of who might be displaced as a result.
You can see a complete list of these missed opportunities here.
This GAP report also provides updates on two other issues:
- The 50 Coxe Avenue affordable housing development passed (which is good), but without some of the anti-displacement safeguards we recommended (which is unfortunate)
- The County ignored requests from multiple community groups, as well as many GAP supporters, to extend their deadline for property tax reappraisals.
Templates and Links to More Information
Take action with us:
Here are all active email templates:
- Email the Buncombe County Commission about the need for an anti-displacement analysis to guide current decision-making.
Resources:
Click here to read our full proposed anti-displacement policy proposal.
Buncombe County is advancing budget, land use, and investment decisions without any anti-displacement analysis
PROBLEMATIC
Summary: Buncombe County is considering its FY2027 budget, a new public finance strategy, and updates to its farmland preservation ordinance—each of which will shape housing stability and displacement risk. Yet none of these items include any analysis of who may be displaced or how to prevent it. The County should pause and incorporate an anti-displacement framework before moving forward.
The facts: At its May 5 meeting, the Buncombe County Commission will consider several agenda items related to budgeting, land use, and public investment:
- FY2027 Recommended Budget: The County Manager will present the proposed Fiscal Year 2027 budget. This budget establishes County spending priorities across departments and functions, including housing programs, public safety, infrastructure, and recovery efforts. The presentation marks the beginning of the Commission’s budget review and adoption process.
- Public Finance Feasibility Study (Trust for Public Land): The Commission will receive a presentation from the Trust for Public Land on a public finance feasibility study. The study evaluates potential funding mechanisms—such as bonds, taxes, or other revenue tools—that could support land conservation, parks, and related public investments.
- Farmland Preservation Ordinance Revision: The Commission will consider revisions to the County’s farmland preservation ordinance. These changes relate to how agricultural land is identified, protected, and managed, and may include updates to eligibility criteria, program structure, or implementation tools.
You can read more about these items in the online agenda packet.
Our Assessment: These are not neutral decisions. Budgets determine who receives support and who is left out. Public investments in land and amenities can increase property values and accelerate displacement. Land use policies shape who has access to land—and who does not.
By moving forward without an anti-displacement lens, the County is effectively choosing not to see the impacts of its own decisions. This creates a predictable outcome: investments that may be beneficial on their own terms can still contribute to housing instability and inequity.
What’s most concerning is the pattern. These are not isolated oversights—they reflect an ongoing failure to incorporate displacement risk into decision-making, despite clear evidence of rising housing pressures and repeated community requests for analysis.
Our Proposal: The County can move forward on these items—but it should first take the basic step of identifying potential displacement impacts and incorporating mitigation where needed. This does not require a lengthy study or major delay. For each of these agenda items, staff could include a brief assessment outlining who may be affected, whether high-risk communities are involved, and what steps could reduce harm or increase stability.
In the near term, this could be implemented as a simple addition to existing staff reports or presentations. Over the longer term, Buncombe County should commit to developing a formal anti-displacement policy that provides clear, consistent guidance for evaluating major decisions. That policy would help ensure that future budgets, investments, and land use changes are aligned with the goal of allowing current residents to remain in their communities, rather than being unintentionally pushed out.
Things to do: We invite you to use our template to email the County Commission and ask them to apply an anti-displacement lens to these decisions.
Email Template: You can send an email to the Asheville City Council by filling out the form below. Our email tool will send an individually addressed email to the recipients, and enable us to track how many emails were sent overall in the campaign. If you prefer to write your own email, you can copy and paste (and adapt) our template text – please cc: or bcc: info@gapavl.org on your individualized email, so we can better track how many emails were sent.
To: alfred.whitesides@buncombecounty.org, amanda.edwards@buncombecounty.org, drew.ball@buncombecounty.org, jennifer.horton@buncombecounty.org, martin.moore@buncombecounty.org, parker.sloan@buncombecounty.org, terri.wells@buncombecounty.org
CC: or BCC: info@gapavl.org
Subject: Please include anti-displacement analysis in upcoming County decisions
Dear Commissioners,
I’m writing in response to the upcoming May 5 agenda, which includes the FY2027 budget, the Public Finance Feasibility Study, and updates to the Farmland Preservation Ordinance. These are important decisions that will shape Buncombe County’s future—but I’m concerned that none of them include any analysis of displacement risk.
As costs rise and more residents face housing instability, it is critical that the County begin evaluating how its decisions affect who can afford to stay in our community. I urge you to incorporate an anti-displacement lens as you consider these items and to begin developing a formal policy to guide future decisions.
Buncombe County has an opportunity to lead by ensuring that public investments strengthen communities without pushing residents out. I hope you will take that step.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
REPORT BACK STATUS
Unresolved
Report Back
Coming Soon!
The 50 Coxe Avenue affordable housing development should do more to prevent displacement
QUESTIONABLE
Summary (updated 5/4/26): City Council discussion did not meaningfully address displacement concerns. At last week’s Asheville City Council meeting, the 50 Coxe Avenue development moved forward without substantive changes related to displacement mitigation. As we stated last week, we think this project represents and important step forward, and backed its passage. We thought it could be improved, and offered suggestions in that direction. Read our full report back below.
Original Summary: Buncombe County is seeking rezoning approval to build over 200 units of affordable housing at 50 Coxe Avenue. While this is a major opportunity to expand housing supply, the proposal does not clearly address how it will serve the lowest-income households most at risk of displacement, and affordability is time-limited. City Council should use this decision point to secure deeper affordability, long-term protections, and stronger alignment with displacement prevention goals.
The Facts: The City of Asheville is considering Buncombe County’s conditional zoning request to allow the redevelopment of 50 Coxe Avenue into a 7-story, mixed-use building with approximately 203 affordable housing units and ground-floor retail. The site is currently owned by Buncombe County and used for administrative offices and surface parking.
- The project will add a significant number of income-restricted units in a high-cost, transit-accessible downtown location.
- The development is expected to include a range of affordability levels, primarily serving households at or below 60–80% AMI. The most recent estimates of how many units will be available at different levels of affordability were presented to Buncombe County last year and are as follows:
- 20% AMI (8 units, 3% of total)
- 30% AMI (36 units, 17% of total)
- 50% AMI (11 units, 5% of total)
- 60% AMI (110 units, 53% of total)
- 80% AMI (41 units, 20% of total)
- The project requires zoning modifications, including a significant reduction in tree canopy requirements (from 10% to 1.2%).
You can read the staff report here and see the presentation slides here. You can see the presentation the County planning department and UNC Development Finance Initiative (DFI) made last year that outlines the different levels of affordability here.
Our Assessment: This project represents a meaningful public investment in affordable housing and makes productive use of publicly owned land. Adding over 200 units in a transit-accessible downtown location is a significant step forward, and the inclusion of units at 60–80% AMI will benefit many working households.
However, the project as currently proposed is unlikely to meaningfully reduce displacement. Only about 20% of units (44 total) are expected to be affordable to extremely low-income households (≤30% AMI), who face the greatest risk of housing instability, displacement, and homelessness. The proposal also does not clearly commit to pairing units with housing vouchers or supportive services, which are often necessary to reach those households. In addition, there is no clear mechanism to prioritize access for local residents or those at risk of displacement.
Finally, affordability in projects funded through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is typically limited to a defined compliance period (often around 30 years), after which units may convert to market-rate housing. While 30 years may sound long, it means affordability has an expiration date. Across the country, cities are already losing affordable housing as these periods expire. In a high-cost market like Asheville, once these units convert to market rate, they are extremely difficult to replace—meaning today’s investment may not result in lasting affordability.
Taken together, these gaps mean that while the project adds supply, it may have only a limited impact on the underlying drivers of displacement in Asheville.
Our Proposal: City Council should use this rezoning decision as a critical intervention point to strengthen the project’s anti-displacement impact.
Specifically, Council should request that a greater share of units be designated affordable to households at or below 30% AMI, in alignment with data showing that the lowest-income households face the greatest risk of displacement and homelessness. The City should also commit to pairing units with housing vouchers or supportive housing programs, in coordination with the Continuum of Care, to ensure access for those with the greatest need.
In addition, the City should also explore ways to ensure that these units are accessible to households most at risk of displacement. This could include prioritizing people who are living in transitional housing or are at high risk of displacement, setting aside units for residents using housing vouchers or who are currently homeless, and working with local partners to connect units to those most in need to available housing. These approaches are widely used by housing authorities and cities across the country, and could easily be adopted in Asheville. Federal housing guidelines allow local preferences for households experiencing homelessness or displacement, and many communities pair affordable housing with housing vouchers and supportive services to ensure that units are accessible to those with the greatest need. While Asheville already uses some of these approaches through its Continuum of Care system, they are not yet consistently applied to new affordable housing developments like this one.
More broadly, this decision highlights the importance of applying an anti-displacement lens to major housing investments. As the City works to develop a formal analysis tool, projects like this present immediate opportunities to begin implementing those principles in practice.
The Ask: We invited you to use our email template to ask City Council to strengthen the anti-displacement impact of the 50 Coxe Avenue project before approving rezoning.
REPORT BACK STATUS
Resolved
Report Back
Update 5/4/26: City Council discussion did not meaningfully address displacement concerns
At last week’s Asheville City Council meeting, the 50 Coxe Avenue development moved forward without substantive changes related to displacement mitigation. While Council members expressed general support for affordable housing, there was little concrete discussion of:
- deeper affordability levels
- protections for those most at risk of displacement
- or long-term anti-displacement strategies tied to the project
The proposal continues to rely on standard affordability thresholds and timelines, without additional commitments to ensure that the development serves those most vulnerable to displacement or prevents further housing instability in the surrounding area.
Total GAP Supporter Actions Taken: 9
Recipients and Responses:
Asheville City Council
- Mayor Esther Manheimer: No response
- Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley: No response
- City Council Member Bo Hess: No response
- City Council Member Kim Roney: No response
- City Council Member Maggie Ullman: No response
- City Council Member Sage Turner: No response
- City Council Member Sheneika Smith: No response
Appeal deadline for property tax reappraisals is too early
PROBLEMATIC
Summary (updated 5/4/26): With the deadline for property tax reappraisals set for May 5th, there is no indication that the County has considered the postponement we suggested.
Update 4/27/26: Recent discussions at the County level have not yet resulted in changes to the property tax appeal deadline. This issue remains especially important as rising property values continue to place pressure on homeowners, particularly those with fixed or limited incomes. Ensuring a fair and accessible appeals process is a key component of preventing displacement and promoting housing stability. If you haven’t yet taken action on this item, we encourage you to do so using our template below.
Updated 4/20/26: Two weeks ago, we urged the County to extend the deadline for property tax appeals to give residents more time to respond to rising assessments. The County has not responded to this request. As property values increase, tight deadlines can place additional strain on homeowners—particularly those with fewer resources—highlighting the need for a broader, proactive approach to preventing displacement.
Buncombe County has set a May 5 deadline for homeowners to file formal appeals of their 2026 property reappraisals. Given the unusually large valuation increases and the likelihood of a high volume of appeals, this deadline does not give residents sufficient time to review their assessments, gather evidence, and prepare filings. We recommend that the County extend the appeal deadline to May 20, which would provide homeowners additional time while still allowing adequate time for the Board of Equalization and Review to complete its work before tax-rate adoption.
The Facts: Buncombe County mailed new property reappraisal notices in February 2026 as part of its countywide revaluation. Property owners who disagree with their new assessed value can first pursue an informal review with the Assessor’s Office. If they remain dissatisfied, they may file a formal appeal to the Board of Equalization and Review (BER), an independent body that hears valuation disputes and can adjust assessed values.
The County has set May 5, 2026 as the deadline to file formal appeals to the Board of Equalization and Review. After that date, the Board will begin hearing appeals, with the expectation that decisions will be made in time for the County to finalize its tax base prior to adoption of the FY2027 budget and tax rate in June. Property owners who disagree with the Board’s decision may then appeal further to the North Carolina Property Tax Commission.
Residents can read more about the appeals process and get started with filing one here.
Our Assessment: This year’s reappraisal resulted in significant increases in assessed values for many properties across Buncombe County. When valuation changes are large, it is reasonable to expect a higher-than-normal number of appeals. Preparing a meaningful appeal takes time: property owners must review comparable sales data, gather documentation, and often seek assistance. A May 5 deadline provides a relatively short window, particularly for homeowners with fewer resources or those navigating the process for the first time.
Other North Carolina counties provide more time. For example, Orange County allows formal appeals from early April through June 30, when its Board of Equalization and Review adjourns. Forsyth County has similarly accepted formal appeals through June 30 in recent reappraisal cycles. These examples show that counties can allow later deadlines by keeping their Boards open longer and still complete their tax-rate and budget processes.
We are concerned that Buncombe County’s earlier deadline may discourage valid appeals and disproportionately affect residents with fewer resources, including seniors and long-time homeowners facing large increases. Extending the deadline to May 20 would better align Buncombe with other counties with large populations, give homeowners additional time to prepare, and still leave sufficient time for the Board of Equalization and Review to conduct hearings before the tax rate is set. This modest adjustment would improve fairness and accessibility without disrupting the County’s budget timeline.
The Ask: We invited you to join us in asking the Buncombe County Commission to extend the deadline for property reappraisal appeals.
REPORT BACK STATUS
Unsatisfactory Resolution
Report Back
Total GAP Supporter Actions Taken: 36
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: No response
- County Commissioner Martin Moore: No response
- County Commissioner Parker Sloane: No response
- County Commissioner Terri Wells: No response
PREVIOUS REPORTS
GAP Report for 4/27/26
0 Items Buncombe County is advancing major decisions that impact displacement without clear analysis or a coordinated policy response (updated) Appeal deadline for property tax reappraisals is too early (updated) The 50 Coxe Avenue affordable housing development...
GAP Report for 4/20/26
0 Items Buncombe County is advancing major decisions that impact displacement without clear analysis or a coordinated policy response (new) Appeal deadline for property tax reappraisals is too early (updated) 0 Items 0 Items Buncombe County still not taking action on...
GAP Report for 4/13/26
0 Items 0 Items Appeal deadline for property tax reappraisals is too early Buncombe County needs to adopt an anti-displacement policy 0 Items Help Expand Government Accountability in Asheville We’ve had some of our most significant successes lately, with the...
GAP Report for 4/6/26
0 Items 0 Items Appeal deadline for property tax reappraisals is too early (new) Buncombe County needs to adopt an anti-displacement policy 0 Items New Item: Buncombe County’s May 5 deadline for filing formal appeals of the recent property tax reappraisals is too...
GAP Report for 3/30/26
0 Items Community needs a seat at the table as Asheville considers Performing Arts Center on The Block (resolved for now) Asheville needs to adopt an anti-displacement policy (updated) Buncombe County needs to adopt an anti-displacement policy 0 Items Updated Item:...