PROBLEMATIC
Why Rush Zoning Changes Before Asheville’s Anti-Displacement Tool Is Ready?
Asheville City Council will vote Tuesday on allowing duplexes in more neighborhoods and permitting accessory dwelling units to be larger and easier to build. These relatively modest reforms are unlikely to produce either a great deal of housing or widespread displacement. But the City is about to begin a comprehensive overhaul of its development rules that is supposed to include displacement-risk analysis and anti-displacement strategies. Council has not demonstrated why these changes must be approved separately before that work is ready. It should postpone the amendments and consider them through the more complete and appropriately cautious process that is about to begin.
Asheville Needs a Larger Conversation About Police Surveillance
On Tuesday, City Council will consider terminating the City’s contract for eleven fixed Flock license-plate readers. Ending that contract seems worthwhile to us, but APD already operates a larger Axon mobile ALPR system and plans further Axon integration. Residents affected by serious crime may value these tools, while others raise legitimate concerns about privacy, misuse, and the tracking of people’s movements. Changing vendors resolves neither perspective. Council should pause expansion, close the proposed resolution’s loopholes, and use an independent review and public engagement process to develop safeguards for the entire ALPR system.
QUESTIONABLE
Safety, Second Chances, and HACA’s New Screening Rules
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.
REPORT BACKS
County Staff Calls for an Impact Analysis – So Why Approve the Rezoning Before It’s Done?
Updated 8/24/26: The Buncombe County Commissioners approved the KOA rezoning 5–1 last week despite our request that they wait for the impact analysis identified in the staff report. Commissioner Terri Wells asked about the analysis, but the planner presenting the item could not discuss its specific findings and provided only a general explanation of how such reviews normally work. The Commissioners never examined the nearby vulnerable populations identified by the Buncombe Community Index or considered potential effects on manufactured-home and RV-park residents. The sole opposing vote came from Commissioner Jennifer Horton, who cited the property’s flood risk rather than the missing analysis.
A Better Transit Network for Many Riders — But Not Everyone
Updated 8/18/26: This item has been removed from the August 25th agenda and is paused indefinitely, as better solutions are sought. Use our new template to write to Council Members to acknowledge and appreciate this decision.