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: Email Asheville City Council to support the HOME-ARP amendment and ask for clear prioritization rules and regular public reporting before the plan is finalized.

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. 

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: ashevillenccouncil@ashevillenc.gov

CC: or BCC: info@gapavl.org

Subject: Support HOME-ARP — and make sure no one is unintentionally left behind

Dear Mayor Manheimer and members of City Council,

I support the proposed amendment to Asheville’s HOME-ARP Allocation Plan and encourage Council to approve it when it returns for final action.

Expanding rental assistance and case management is a practical response to our housing crisis. It also makes sense to recognize the housing instability caused by Hurricane Helene.

I understand the program’s priority rules will determine which vulnerable households receive limited assistance first. Before final approval on October 13th, I encourage the City to adopt two safeguards to ensure HOME-ARP’s resources are fairly distributed.

First, please publish clear rules explaining how the Helene-related preference will be determined and balanced with other urgent safety and vulnerability concerns. Someone fleeing domestic violence, trafficking, or stalking should not face greater danger because another applicant falls within the preferred category. The process should also avoid documentation requirements that unfairly exclude people who cannot easily prove when their homelessness began.

Second, please ensure that the Asheville Regional Housing Consortium reports regularly on how many households are referred, served, housed, or unable to receive assistance; how long it takes people to obtain housing; whether there are significant demographic or geographic disparities in program access; and how much funding remains.

These details may sound technical, but they determine who receives help, who remains waiting, and whether the public can tell if the program is working fairly.

The safeguards recommended above would strengthen an amendment that deserves Council’s support. They would promote fairness and accountability without delaying assistance. Without them, this amendment could unintentionally be detrimental to vulnerable and marginalized residents.

Thank you for your consideration,

[Name]
[Address or neighborhood, if desired]