POSITIVE
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 encourage the City to measure its effectiveness so that future efforts can build on what works.
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.
Costco could bring hundreds of good jobs to Asheville
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.
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 experiencing homelessness, particularly those who 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.
REPORT BACKS
County seeks $290,000 for surveillance technology without explaining what residents are buying
Buncombe County Commissioners withdrew the proposed $290,000 surveillance funding increase from their October 6 agenda. We welcome this decision, which came after GAPavl and others raised concerns about the almost complete lack of information provided to the public. However, the questions about what the money would purchase, how the surveillance technology would be used, and what safeguards would protect residents’ privacy remain unanswered. We hope the County will address these questions before bringing the proposal back for consideration.
Asheville creates another opportunity for community leadership of Juneteenth
The City of Asheville has reopened its search for a community production partner for the 2027 Juneteenth celebration, with proposals due October 30. We understand that the citizen-led Evaluation Committee and City staff concluded that the original process had not produced the kind of locally rooted community partnership they were seeking and chose to reopen the opportunity and conduct additional outreach rather than simply move forward. We appreciate that decision. Juneteenth should be shaped by people and organizations with meaningful connections to Asheville’s Black community, and reopening the process creates another opportunity for those organizations to participate.