Summary (updated 9/1/25): Safe Shelter offers temporary housing and other vital community services and is seeking a zoning amendment to support their ongoing operation.

This proposal passed City Council by a 6-1 vote (Turner voting against).

The Facts: Safe Shelter provides housing for up to 35 people a night, and has also facilitated the creation of other valuable services in their building: “a community center, barbershop, consignment shop, preschool, K-12 learning center, a community gathering and training space with a focus on workforce development.” They have been operating under a Temporary Use Permit and are seeking a permanent zoning amendment so that their work can continue into the future. 

You can read the staff memo on this proposal here, and a Citizen-Times article about the project and proposed re-zoning here.

Our Assessment: This organization does important work in our City. Not only do they provide housing to those in need of it, but they have built a powerful hub that integrates the unhoused into the community and offers a holistic approach to addressing the underlying causes of homelessness and poverty. The zoning shift being requested is small, and would give the project ongoing security to build on their impressive foundation of services and community offerings.

The Ask: We invited you to join us in reaching out to the Asheville City Council, encouraging them to support the zoning amendment sought by Safe Shelter.

Report Back

This proposal passed City Council by a 6-1 vote (Turner voting against).

Total GAP Supporter Actions Taken: 11

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