GAP Report for 10/19/26
POSITIVE
Buncombe County can turn its Swannanoa plan into an anti-displacement test case
Buncombe County Commissioners will receive a briefing Tuesday on the proposed Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan, which will guide growth, recovery and investment in the community for the next 20 years. We support the plan and the extensive community work behind it. As its 140-plus policies and actions move toward implementation, we believe the County should take one additional step: review significant actions individually for potential displacement risks and consider ways to reduce those risks before consequential decisions are made.
REPORT BACKS
Asheville considers $6 million to prevent homelessness
City Council unanimously approved the $6 million Right at Home homelessness-prevention initiative. The discussion also addressed much of what we hoped to learn. Staff explained that the program is specifically designed to reach people at greatest risk of homelessness before they lose their housing, with a “fast to act” model intended to avoid administrative delays and a network of community organizations providing assistance. The program will track participants through the Homeless Management Information System and undergo rigorous evaluation, with the City reporting progress through the Continuum of Care. This should provide important information about whether participating households remain housed and which interventions work — exactly the kind of learning we asked this initiative to produce.
Asheville considers 23 affordable homes in Shiloh
City Council unanimously approved the rezoning allowing Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity to build 23 affordable homes in Shiloh. The discussion reinforced the project’s strong relationship with the neighborhood: Shiloh Community Association representatives spoke in support, and Habitat said the plan had improved through its work with residents. Council did not, however, substantially answer our questions about exactly what income levels below 80% AMI the homes will serve or whether existing Shiloh residents will receive particular opportunities to purchase them. Habitat did clarify that it participates in the Housing Authority’s homeownership voucher program and would be willing to use that program in this development, potentially creating another path to homeownership for lower-income households.
Clear Safeguards Can Strengthen Asheville’s HOME-ARP Plan
City Council unanimously approved the HOME-ARP amendment — and added an important transparency requirement before doing so. Councilmember Bo Hess proposed requiring stronger public reporting on HOME-ARP funds distributed through nonprofit partners, including how much money is awarded, how much goes to direct assistance versus staffing and administration, how many households are served, and what outcomes result. Council incorporated that requirement into the motion before unanimously approving it. This responds meaningfully to our call for regular public reporting that allows Council and residents to see whom the program is serving and how well it is meeting its stated goals.
Asheville considers 23 affordable homes in Shiloh
City Council will consider a rezoning that would allow Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity to build 23 affordable homes in the Shiloh neighborhood. We support expanding affordable housing and homeownership opportunities, particularly in historically underserved neighborhoods, while encouraging attention to affordability for existing Shiloh residents and long-term housing stability.
Active Issue Reports
Buncombe County can turn its Swannanoa plan into an anti-displacement test case
POSITIVE
Summary: Buncombe County Commissioners will receive a briefing Tuesday on the proposed Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan, which will guide growth, recovery and investment in the community for the next 20 years. We support the plan and the extensive community work behind it. As its 140-plus policies and actions move toward implementation, we believe the County should take one additional step: review significant actions individually for potential displacement risks and consider ways to reduce those risks before consequential decisions are made.
The Facts: Buncombe County Commissioners will receive a briefing Tuesday on the proposed Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan, a long-range plan intended to guide growth, recovery and investment in Swannanoa following Hurricane Helene. The planning process grew out of the County’s 2043 Comprehensive Plan and has included a resident/community Steering Committee, studies of existing conditions and vulnerability, community meetings and broader public input.
Residents have played a substantial role in developing the plan, but Swannanoa is an unincorporated community and the plan is ultimately a Buncombe County plan. The Steering Committee is advisory; County Commissioners will decide whether to adopt the plan, and County government will be responsible for many of the decisions that turn its recommendations into action.
The draft contains more than 140 proposed policies and actions addressing housing, transportation, economic development, recreation, environmental protection, disaster resilience and other aspects of Swannanoa’s future. Once adopted, those recommendations could lead to changes in zoning and other regulations, new capital investments, development decisions, partnerships and specific County projects over the next 20 years.
The plan is not yet final. County materials describe the current version as a working draft under review, with final adoption by the Board of Commissioners scheduled for November. That means Tuesday’s briefing provides an opportunity for Commissioners to clarify not only what the plan recommends, but also how the County will evaluate the consequences of each policy as it is implemented.
You can see the staff presentation on the plan here.
Our Assessment: We appreciate the extraordinary amount of work that Swannanoa residents, Steering Committee members and County staff have put into creating this plan. We also appreciate that affordability, equity, and community resilience are woven through many of its recommendations.
But adopting a good plan is only the beginning. The real consequences will come later, as Buncombe County decides which of its 140-plus policies and actions to implement, when to implement them, and how.
A new sidewalk, zoning change, commercial investment, housing initiative, or infrastructure project might strengthen Swannanoa while having little effect on displacement. Another action might increase land values, housing costs or redevelopment pressure in ways that make it harder for existing residents or businesses to remain. Some actions may actively reduce displacement risk; others could inadvertently increase it.
The County can’t possibly predict all of those effects today. Instead, each significant action should receive an anti-displacement review when County staff begin moving it toward implementation.
That review could ask a few basic questions: Who is likely to benefit? Who might face increased housing, property-tax, rental or commercial displacement pressure? What evidence tells us whether the risk is significant? If a meaningful risk exists, what could the County do to reduce it? And what should the County monitor afterward to learn whether its assumptions were right?
The final plan should therefore identify which County department or staff team is responsible for moving each major action forward and require that significant implementation decisions be screened for displacement risk before they are approved or funded.
This is especially important because residents’ role changes once the planning process ends. Community members have had substantial opportunities to help shape the vision and recommendations, but the County will have much of the authority and responsibility for turning those recommendations into actual government decisions. An implementation-level anti-displacement review would help the County consider how its decisions affect the people and businesses already rooted in Swannanoa.
This would not require the County to abandon or delay beneficial investments. It would help the County make those investments more successfully, allowing Swannanoa to recover and improve while paying attention to whether existing residents and businesses are able to remain and share in the benefits.
We’ve been encouraging Buncombe County for almost a year to expand and connect its existing planning and analytical tools into a countywide anti-displacement decision-support and learning system. The Swannanoa plan offers an ideal opportunity to demonstrate how one could work in practice.
Things to do: Email County Commissioners and ask them to make item-by-item anti-displacement review part of the implementation process for the Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan.
Email Template: You can send an email to the Buncombe County Commission 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.
Important: If you receive a response to your email, please forward it to us at info@gapavl.org so we can reflect that in the report back.
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 build anti-displacement review into the Swannanoa plan
Dear Chair Edwards and County Commissioners,
I am grateful for the extensive work that County staff, the Steering Committee and Swannanoa residents have put into the Swannanoa Small Area and Resilience Plan.
As you review the plan, I hope you will add an important step to guide its implementation.
The plan contains more than 140 policies and actions that could shape Swannanoa for years. Some may help residents remain in the community. Others could unintentionally increase housing costs, property values, or redevelopment pressure.
Please require significant actions to receive an anti-displacement review as they move toward implementation: Who will benefit? Who might face displacement pressure? Is the risk significant? What steps could reduce that risk? And what should the County monitor during implementation to see what actually happens?
I encourage you to identify the County department or staff responsible for carrying each major action forward so that this review becomes part of implementation rather than simply another goal in the plan.
Swannanoa needs investment and recovery. An anti-displacement review can help ensure that the people and businesses already rooted there remain to share in the benefits.
Thank you,
[Name]
[Address or neighborhood, if desired]
Asheville considers $6 million to prevent homelessness
POSITIVE
REPORT BACK STATUS
Resolved Positively
Report Back
Updated 10/19/26: City Council unanimously approved the $6 million Right at Home homelessness-prevention initiative. The discussion also addressed much of what we hoped to learn. Staff explained that the program is specifically designed to reach people at greatest risk of homelessness before they lose their housing, with a “fast to act” model intended to avoid administrative delays and a network of community organizations providing assistance. The program will track participants through the Homeless Management Information System and undergo rigorous evaluation, with the City reporting progress through the Continuum of Care. This should provide important information about whether participating households remain housed and which interventions work — exactly the kind of learning we asked this initiative to produce.
Staff said the initiative will initially work through ABCCM, Homeward Bound, Operation Gateway and Pisgah Legal Services, with services expected to begin in January. Council members also pressed staff about lessons from previous assistance programs in which money did not reach residents or result in direct services quickly enough. Staff said Right at Home includes required turnaround times, dedicated project-management staff and contractual requirements intended to prevent those problems.
Total GAP Supporter Actions Taken: 14
Recipients and Responses:
Asheville City Council
- Mayor Esther Manheimer: No response
- Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley: Responded, see below
- City Council Member Bo Hess: Responded, see below
- City Council Member Kim Roney: Responded, see below
- City Council Member Maggie Ullman: No response
- City Council Member Sage Turner: No response
- City Council Member Sheneika Smith: No response
Email from Council Member Mosley:
Thank you for reaching out and sharing your thoughts on the items coming before Council tomorrow. I appreciate your engagement and the attention you’ve given to these proposals.
Keeping Asheville residents in their homes and protecting our neighborhoods from displacement have been central to my work on Council. I believe preventing homelessness is just as important as responding to it, and that our housing investments must be accompanied by meaningful measures of accountability.
You also raise important points about affordability in Shiloh, employment opportunities for people facing barriers, and ensuring that housing assistance reaches those with the greatest needs. These are all considerations that deserve careful attention as we evaluate the proposals.
Ultimately, our responsibility is not simply to approve programs or allocate funding, but to make sure those investments produce meaningful results for the people of Asheville.
Thank you again for taking the time to share your perspective.
Warmly,
Antanette
Email from Council Member Hess:
Absolutely!
Thank you,
Bo
Email from Council Member Roney:
Thank you for writing in support of items on tonight’s Council agenda. I’m in agreement with you.
With gratitude,
Kim
Summary: Asheville City Council will consider accepting a $6 million grant to help prevent homelessness among at least 1,000 vulnerable households over three years. We support this investment in keeping people housed and encourage the City to measure its effectiveness so that future efforts can build on what works.
The Facts: At its October 13 meeting, City Council will consider accepting a $6 million grant from the non-profit organization, Destination Home, for a three-year initiative called Right at Home. The program would provide homelessness prevention services, including rental assistance and case management, to at least 1,000 financially vulnerable households. The initiative would be administered through the local Continuum of Care. No City matching funds are required.
You can read the staff report for this issue here.
Our Assessment: Preventing homelessness before it happens is one of the most direct ways to avert displacement. Helping residents remain in their homes can spare families considerable hardship while potentially reducing the need for more costly interventions after they become homeless.
We welcome this initiative and encourage the City to use it to learn more about what puts households at risk and which interventions are most effective.
Two questions seem particularly important: How will the program identify and reach households before they lose their housing? And how will the City measure and publicly report whether participating households remain stably housed?
Gathering these findings will not only help Right at Home fulfill its purpose; it will also strengthen the City’s broader efforts to identify and address displacement risks.
Things to Do (Updated 10/19/26): No additional action is recommended at this time. Last week, we invited you to email City Council using our template to support the Right at Home initiative and encourage clear measures of its effectiveness.
Asheville considers 23 affordable homes in Shiloh
POSITIVE
REPORT BACK STATUS
Resolved Positively
Report Back
Updated 10/19/26: City Council unanimously approved the rezoning allowing Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity to build 23 affordable homes in Shiloh. The discussion reinforced the project’s strong relationship with the neighborhood: Shiloh Community Association representatives spoke in support, and Habitat said the plan had improved through its work with residents. Council did not, however, substantially answer our questions about exactly what income levels below 80% AMI the homes will serve or whether existing Shiloh residents will receive particular opportunities to purchase them. Habitat did clarify that it participates in the Housing Authority’s homeownership voucher program and would be willing to use that program in this development, potentially creating another path to homeownership for lower-income households.
Total GAP Supporter Actions Taken: 14
Recipients and Responses:
Asheville City Council
- Mayor Esther Manheimer: No response
- Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley: Responded, see above (under homelessness report back)
- City Council Member Bo Hess: Responded, see above (under homelessness report back)
- City Council Member Kim Roney: Responded, see above (under homelessness report back)
- City Council Member Maggie Ullman: No response
- City Council Member Sage Turner: No response
- City Council Member Sheneika Smith: No response
Summary: City Council will consider a rezoning that would allow Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity to build 23 affordable homes in the Shiloh neighborhood. We support expanding affordable housing and homeownership opportunities, particularly in historically underserved neighborhoods, while encouraging attention to affordability for existing Shiloh residents and long-term housing stability.
The Facts: Council will consider rezoning approximately 4.45 acres at Tried Street and West Chapel Road for a Habitat for Humanity development consisting of 18 townhomes and five single-family homes.
All 23 homes would be affordable to households earning no more than 80% of area median income (AMI), with affordability protections lasting no fewer than 20 years. City staff reports that the proposal is consistent with the Shiloh Community Plan developed in collaboration with neighborhood residents.
You can read the staff report for this issue here and see the presentation slides here.
Our Assessment: Affordable homeownership can help families build financial security and establish lasting roots in their communities. We welcome Habitat for Humanity’s proposed investment in Shiloh, and appreciate how they have developed it in close communication with neighborhood residents.
At the same time, it’s important to point out that affordability measured against the regional median income does not necessarily reflect what existing neighborhood residents can afford. We would welcome clarification on the income levels these homes are expected to serve, whether current Shiloh residents will have meaningful opportunities to purchase them, and how affordability will be protected over the long term.
These questions are particularly important in a historically Black neighborhood where preserving community stability and opportunity has long been a priority.
Things to Do (Updated 10/19/26): No additional action is recommended at this time. Last week, we invited you to email City Council to support the Habitat proposal while encouraging affordability and access for existing Shiloh residents.
Costco could bring hundreds of good jobs to Asheville
POSITIVE
REPORT BACK STATUS
Resolved Positively
Report Back
Updated 10/19/26: City Council unanimously approved the rezoning for the proposed Costco at Enka Commerce Park. The discussion provided some useful new information but left several of our questions unanswered. Representatives said the store is expected to begin with roughly 225–250 jobs and grow to more than 400, with full-time employees eligible for benefits immediately and part-time employees eligible after 60 days. They also said Costco is receiving no tax or economic-development incentives. Council discussed transportation improvements that helped bring the previously withdrawn project back to the table, but the discussion did not clearly establish whether any costs or responsibilities for necessary improvements have shifted from Costco to the public. Nor did Costco make the more formal commitment we sought to expand employment opportunities for people facing barriers to hiring, including people with criminal records, or discuss transit access for employees without cars.
Council also spent considerable time on Costco’s request to reduce the City’s tree-canopy preservation requirement from 15% to 13%. The applicant said that if adjoining land outside the city limits were counted, more than 16% of the site would be protected, and those trees will be included in a recorded preservation agreement even though they cannot formally count toward the City’s requirement. Council ultimately approved the exception after City attorneys said the site’s unusual circumstances would not legally bind Council to grant similar exceptions to future developments.
Total GAP Supporter Actions Taken: 14
Recipients and Responses:
Asheville City Council
- Mayor Esther Manheimer: No response
- Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley: Responded, see above (under homelessness report back)
- City Council Member Bo Hess: Responded, see above (under homelessness report back)
- City Council Member Kim Roney: Responded, see above (under homelessness report back)
- City Council Member Maggie Ullman: No response
- City Council Member Sage Turner: No response
- City Council Member Sheneika Smith: No response
Summary: City Council will consider a rezoning that would allow Costco to open a warehouse store and gas station at Enka Commerce Park. The development could bring hundreds of comparatively well-paying jobs with benefits, along with new shopping options for area residents. We welcome these potential economic benefits while encouraging attention to job access and transportation.
The Facts: Council will consider rezoning approximately 39.6 acres along Enka Heritage Parkway and Sand Hill Road for a Costco development.
The proposal includes a roughly 168,000-square-foot warehouse store, a gas station with 32 fuel dispensers, and 914 parking spaces. The developer is requesting exceptions to several development standards, including parking and tree canopy requirements.
Costco originally proposed the development in 2025 but withdrew its application in February 2026, citing increased costs and delays associated with required improvements to the site and surrounding roads. These included traffic improvements requested by the North Carolina Department of Transportation and concerns about streets and stormwater infrastructure. Following several months of discussions with City officials, Costco submitted revised plans in September. The new proposal includes changes to site access, the building layout, and stormwater management, although the full details of how the earlier obstacles have been resolved have not been made public.
Costco representatives have described the potential for hundreds of jobs with wages and benefits that compare favorably with much of the retail industry. The Economic Development Coalition has raised concerns about converting land intended for industrial employment to retail use.
You can read the staff report for this issue here and see the presentation slides here.
Our Assessment: Good-paying jobs are an important part of alleviating displacement pressure. Higher wages, employment benefits, and greater household purchasing power can help residents afford to remain in Asheville.
Costco’s reputation for comparatively strong retail wages and benefits makes this a potentially welcome development. We are also encouraged by reports that Costco representatives have discussed second-chance employment opportunities for people with criminal records. We’d like to see them make a more formal commitment to extending those kinds of opportunities.
Given Costco’s earlier withdrawal over infrastructure requirements and costs, we would also welcome clarification about what has changed and whether any costs or responsibilities for necessary improvements have shifted from the developer to the public. We would like to know what wages and benefits Costco expects to offer locally, whether it will work with local organizations to expand employment opportunities for people facing barriers to hiring, and what consideration has been given to transit opportunities for employees without cars.
We see good reasons to welcome Costco’s arrival, particularly if Council helps ensure that its benefits extend broadly into the community.
Things to Do (Updated 10/19/26): No additional action is recommended at this time. Last week, we invited you to email City Council to welcome the potential economic benefits of Costco and encourage a commitment to second-chance employment.
Clear Safeguards Can Strengthen Asheville’s HOME-ARP Plan
POSITIVE
REPORT BACK STATUS
Resolved Positively
Report Back
Updated 10/19/26: City Council unanimously approved the HOME-ARP amendment — and added an important transparency requirement before doing so. Councilmember Bo Hess proposed requiring stronger public reporting on HOME-ARP funds distributed through nonprofit partners, including how much money is awarded, how much goes to direct assistance versus staffing and administration, how many households are served, and what outcomes result. Council incorporated that requirement into the motion before unanimously approving it. This responds meaningfully to our call for regular public reporting that allows Council and residents to see whom the program is serving and how well it is meeting its stated goals.
One important question remains unresolved. Neither the September public hearing nor the October 13 discussion established clear rules for balancing the new preference for people who became homeless because of Helene with the urgent needs of those fleeing domestic violence, trafficking, stalking or sexual assault. Nor did Council address our concern about burdensome documentation requirements. The amendment is promising, and its new reporting requirement should help identify problems as it operates, but we still believe clear prioritization rules are needed to prevent vulnerable people from inadvertently being left behind.
Updated 10/5/26: On September 22, the Asheville City Council held a public hearing on proposed changes to the HOME-ARP program, which would expand rental assistance and case management while giving preference to people experiencing homelessness, particularly those who first became homeless as a result of Hurricane Helene. Council discussed how people would access assistance and how funds might be divided between direct aid and nonprofit staffing, but it did not discuss our recommendations for clear prioritization rules and regular public reporting. We continue to support the amendment and encourage Council to approve it, while asking residents to contact Council before the vote on October 13 and urge members to put these safeguards in place before final approval.
At the hearing, staff explained that the amendment would add temporary rental assistance and comprehensive case management to the services supported by HOME-ARP. It would also use the region’s Coordinated Entry system to help identify and refer applicants. Council members asked how that system works, whether people seeking help through different organizations would be connected to it, and how much of the approximately $1 million for supportive services would pay for direct assistance rather than additional personnel.
Those are worthwhile oversight questions, but they did not address an important consequence of the proposed preference for folks who became homeless after Hurricane Helene. People fleeing domestic violence, trafficking, stalking, or sexual assault would remain eligible for assistance, yet the plan does not clearly explain how an immediate threat to someone’s safety would be weighed against the preference for people whose homelessness began after Helene. Council also did not discuss whether applicants could face burdensome requirements to document when or why they became homeless.
Council likewise did not discuss GAPavl’s recommendation for regular public reporting. Without information about referrals, enrollment, housing placements, wait times, households that could not be served, demographic or geographic disparities, and remaining funds, Council and the public may have difficulty determining whether the program is working fairly. The public hearing was informational only, however, and Council has not yet taken final action. There is still time to strengthen a promising amendment without delaying assistance or opposing its approval.
Total GAP Supporter Actions Taken: 32
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: Responded, see below
- City Council Member Sheneika Smith: No response
Email from Sage Turner to a GAP Supporter:
Hi ___.
I think this is a form email, but fyi I chair HOME and am bringing this to Council for their support.
Sage
Summary: Asheville’s proposed HOME-ARP amendment could help more people move out of homelessness by expanding rental assistance and case management. We support the proposal and believe City Council should approve it. But the amendment will also determine who is first in line to draw from a limited assistance pool. We are asking the City to adopt two safeguards: (1) clear rules for balancing the needs of folks directly impacted by Helene with other urgent needs, and (2) regular public reporting that shows who receives assistance, who remains waiting, and whether the program is supporting those most in need. These details may sound technical, but implementation guidelines can determine whether a vulnerable family obtains housing or remains homeless or endangered.
The Facts: In 2021, the Asheville Regional Housing Consortium received approximately $4.7 million through the federal Home Investment Partnerships Program–American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) program. Asheville administers the funds for a four-county consortium covering Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, and Transylvania counties. The money must be fully invested by August 2030.
The current plan allocates approximately $3 million to affordable rental housing development, $1 million to supportive services, and $705,000 to administration and planning. Supportive services were originally focused on mental health and substance-use services. City staff recommend broadening them to include short- and medium-term rental assistance and comprehensive case management. Staff believe that a rapid-rehousing approach can help people obtain housing more quickly while addressing problems that threaten their long-term housing stability.
A proposed amendment would also give preference to individuals and families experiencing homelessness, particularly people whose first episode of homelessness occurred as a result of Hurricane Helene. Other eligible populations — including people fleeing domestic violence, trafficking, stalking, or sexual assault — would remain eligible, but they could be placed behind preferred households on a waitlist.
Finally, the City would begin using Coordinated Entry — the regional system for assessing people’s housing needs and referring them to homelessness services — along with other eligible referral sources to identify and prioritize applicants. The Asheville Regional Housing Consortium unanimously endorsed the amendment. City Council will hold a public hearing on the amendment on September 22. Written comments will be accepted through October 2, and final Council consideration is expected on October 13.
You can read the staff report here and see the presentation slides here.
Our Assessment: We support the amendment. Expanding rental assistance and case management is a practical response to the region’s housing crisis, and it makes sense to recognize the additional housing instability caused by Hurricane Helene. The amendment could help the City use HOME-ARP funds more effectively and move people into housing more quickly.
But good intentions do not automatically produce fair results. The rules used to carry out this program will decide who receives limited assistance first. Without clear safeguards, someone who became homeless after Helene could receive priority over a person trying to escape an abusive partner or trafficker. That may not be what the City intends, but the proposal does not clearly explain how applicants’ competing needs will be balanced.
The City should publish understandable prioritization rules that preserve an urgent pathway for people facing immediate safety risks. It should also avoid burdensome documentation requirements that prevent people from receiving assistance because they cannot easily prove when their homelessness began.
The City should also report regularly on how the program is performing. At least quarterly, it should disclose how many households were referred, enrolled, housed, or unable to be served; how long it took people to obtain housing; whether significant demographic or geographic disparities emerged; and how much funding remains.
Public reporting is not simply an administrative exercise. Without it, residents and Council cannot know whether people are being housed promptly, whether certain communities have meaningful access, or whether particular groups are consistently left waiting. The reporting would also help ensure that the funds are used before the August 2030 deadline.
These safeguards would not delay or weaken the amendment. They would help ensure that the program fulfills its purpose, reveal unintended consequences, and give the City an opportunity to correct problems before vulnerable residents are harmed.
Things to Do (Updated 10/19/26): No additional action is recommended at this time. Last week, we invited you to email City Council using our template to express your support for the HOME-ARP amendment, while asking members to establish clear prioritization rules and regular public reporting guidelines before final approval.
Safety, Second Chances, and HACA’s New Screening Rules
QUESTIONABLE
REPORT BACK STATUS
Outcome Unknown
Report Back
HACA Screening Policy Outcome Is Still Unknown
Updated 8/31/26: The Housing Authority of the City of Asheville (HACA) Board met on August 26 after receiving public comments on proposed longer lookback periods for several criminal convictions. Because HACA has not published minutes, a recording, or another account of the meeting, we do not know whether the revised screening policy was discussed, amended, adopted or postponed.
Total GAP Supporter Actions Taken: 6
Recipients and Responses:
Housing Authority of the City of Asheville
- Board: No response
Asheville City Council
- Mayor Esther Manheimer (appoints all Board members): No response
- Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley (Council liaison): No response
Summary: The Housing Authority of the City of Asheville (HACA) is accepting comments through 11:59 p.m. tonight (August 24, 2026) on proposed criminal-background screening procedures. The proposal offers applicants stronger procedural protections but would also extend the lookback period for many convictions from five years to seven years, 10 years, or life. We have heard that part of the motivation is concern from residents who survived rape, molestation, or stalking that their assailants could be approved to move into their housing communities. Those safety concerns deserve substantial weight. But the longer periods would also apply to property and drug crimes – including felony drug possession – and HACA has not publicly explained the basis for each change.
The Facts: The proposal would:
- Apply lifetime lookbacks to intentional homicide, kidnapping or human trafficking, and forcible sex or rape convictions
- Apply 10-year lookbacks to felony stalking and many other felonies, including assault, robbery, burglary, drug possession, and drug distribution
- Apply seven year lookbacks to misdemeanor domestic-violence convictions
- Allow consideration of violent patterns outside the stated periods
- Exclude arrests without charges and generally require additional evidence before considering dismissed charges
- Provide an individualized review meeting, consideration of rehabilitation, and up to 30 days to gather supporting evidence
You can read the full proposed policy revision here. The 48-day public-comment period began July 8 and ends at 11:59 p.m. tonight. Comments may be sent to comments@haca.org.
Our Assessment: HACA is right to consider the safety of residents who fear that people convicted of serious violence against them could return to their housing communities. The proposal responds directly to some of those concerns by establishing longer (or lifetime) lookbacks for rape, stalking, homicide, and other violent offenses. (A lookback period is the length of time a past conviction remains relevant when HACA reviews someone’s housing application.)
But the proposal also extends scrutiny to offenses that do not necessarily involve violence or a threat to another resident. For example, felony drug possession and two or more felony theft or fraud convictions would carry 10-year lookbacks. Drug-related crime convictions in particular have a well-documented racial bias. HACA has not explained how these longer exclusions address the resident-safety concern motivating the proposal, how many applicants they would affect, or whether a shorter period or more individualized approach would be sufficient.
The proposal may ultimately strike an appropriate balance between safety, rehabilitation, and access to housing. Before adopting it, HACA should explain why longer lookbacks are necessary for nonviolent convictions and how it will avoid excluding people who no longer present a risk to residents.
Things to do: No action suggested at this time. Last week, we invited you to email HACA before 11:59 p.m. Monday night – and copy Mayor Esther Manheimer (who appoints all HACA Board members) and Vice Mayor Antanette Mosley (who is the City Council liaison to HACA) – asking HACA to explain why the proposal extends lookback periods for nonviolent convictions and how those extensions advance resident safety
PREVIOUS REPORTS
GAP Report for 10/12/26
Asheville considers $6 million to prevent homelessness Asheville City Council will consider accepting a $6 million grant to help prevent homelessness among at least 1,000 vulnerable households over three years. We support this investment in keeping people housed and...
GAP Report for 10/5/26
County seeks $290,000 for surveillance technology without explaining what residents are buying Buncombe County Commissioners are being asked Tuesday to approve $290,000 from forfeiture funds for the Sheriff's Office's FY27 FUSUS/Axon contract and a "Camera Project at...
GAP Report for 9/28/26
Clear Safeguards Can Strengthen Asheville’s HOME-ARP Plan On September 22, the Asheville City Council held a public hearing on proposed changes to the HOME-ARP program, which would expand rental assistance and case management while giving preference to people...
GAP Report for 9/21/26
Clear Safeguards Can Strengthen Asheville’s HOME-ARP Plan Asheville’s proposed HOME-ARP amendment could help more people move out of homelessness by expanding rental assistance and case management. We support the proposal and believe City Council should approve it....
GAP Report for 9/14/26
Deaverview Mountain Park could transform the neighborhood – but for whom? Buncombe County will consider a $1.34 million contract to plan and engineer a major new park on 342 acres at Deaverview Mountain. Living near a beautiful public park could be a tremendous...