Affordable Housing Subcommittee Meeting | September 1, 2026

Meeting Overview On September 1, 2026, the Buncombe County Affordable Housing Subcommittee convened to review policy revisions, assess recent state housing awards, and examine eviction data. The meeting was attended by subcommittee members and key staff, including Jonathan Buehl, Erica Connolly, Matthew Shackley, and John Kane. The session focused on updating the Affordable Housing Service Program (AHSP) and adjusting the subcommittee’s operational bylaws to better align with county governance structures.

Key Decisions and Votes The subcommittee took two primary actions during the meeting. First, members voted to approve an amendment to the bylaws, which changes the timing for selecting the Chair and Vice Chair from the first meeting of the term to the beginning of the calendar year in January. Second, the subcommittee voted 4 to 1 to approve a package of recommendations for the full Board of Commissioners regarding the AHSP. These policy changes include establishing a standard 10% administrative cost cap for grant programs, combining or eliminating the New Start and Administrative Support programs due to low award volumes, requiring a minimum 10% deferred developer fee at the application stage, and restructuring loan repayments to prioritize the county’s loan repayment from available cash flow before other fees are distributed.

Discussion Highlights A significant portion of the discussion centered on the practical implications of these policy changes. Regarding administrative costs, staff noted that a 10% cap is standard in the grant sector. On the proposal to combine New Start and Administrative Support programs, one member expressed support for the consolidation, acknowledging the significant time investment required by organizations that often go unfunded. Mark McIntyre highlighted the importance of transparency, noting that potential borrowers must understand these hard-and-fast rules at the application stage to compare them against private lender requirements. Another member observed that government entities are often the primary targets for policy amendment requests, unlike private banks.

The meeting also addressed the funding status of specific projects. Staff reported on recent Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) and Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBGDR) awards, including the 9% LIHTC award for Crescent Place Apartments. Regarding the Cox Avenue project, which did not receive a 4% LIHTC or CDBGDR award in the recent cycle, Justin Delacruz reported that Harmony Housing is seeking alternative funding sources, such as home and community care block grant funds. Additionally, Drew Ball emphasized the need to highlight the impact on unincorporated areas of Buncombe County, noting that the county lost a higher percentage of rental units compared to other counties that recovered 100% of their losses through state programs.

Community Input No public comment period was held during the meeting. However, a pre-submitted comment via email from Adeline was included in the meeting materials for review.

Follow-ups and Next Steps Staff agreed to present the approved bylaws and AHSP policy recommendations to the full Board of Commissioners at the first October meeting. The subcommittee also endorsed inviting staff from the Clean Recovery Office (DCR) to the October 6th meeting to provide an overview of CDBGDR housing programs, including open application windows and rules. Staff outlined a tentative schedule to release household impact funding applications in November and construction applications in December, with funding recommendations expected in the following spring. Furthermore, staff agreed to compile more current data on rental unit losses in Buncombe County to support advocacy efforts with state partners.