Housing and Community Development Committee (Virtual) (Oct 21, 2025)

Housing and Community Development Committee Recap: October 21, 2025

The City of Asheville’s Housing and Community Development Committee held a virtual meeting on October 21, 2025, to review updates to housing policies, disaster recovery plans, and anti-displacement strategies. The committee addressed several informational items regarding the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and the CDBG-DR Action Plan, as well as the work plans for the Housing Recovery Board and the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee (AHAC).

The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the September 16, 2025 meeting. This was the only formal vote taken during the session. All other agenda items were designated as information-sharing presentations, meaning the committee received updates and discussed the topics without making binding decisions or authorizing new actions.

A primary focus of the meeting was an update to the CDBG Policy Manual, which proposes raising the lien threshold for emergency repair and rehabilitation programs from $10,000 to $25,000. Staff explained that this change is intended to increase homeowner participation by addressing rising construction costs. While concerns were raised regarding the potential risk to the city’s investment if homeowners sell properties after repairs, staff indicated that the risk is tolerable given current needs. This policy change does not require City Council approval; instead, the city will share the update with the community for feedback.

The committee also reviewed proposed amendments to the CDBG-DR Action Plan, which governs the use of federal disaster recovery funds following Tropical Storm Helene. The proposed changes include increasing the maximum beneficiary amount for the State of North Carolina Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Owner-Occupied Housing Program from $375,000 to $450,000 to align with state limits. Additionally, the minimum project award for the Housing and Economic Security Support Services Program would decrease from $500,000 to $250,000 to widen the pool of eligible organizations. Councilwoman Sage Turner inquired about the rate of success and the tools used to achieve these goals. The committee received this update, noting that the plan will be submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for approval after a 30-day public comment period.

Staff presented the initial work plans for the Housing Recovery Board and the AHAC for the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2026. These plans align with City Council recovery priorities and focus on housing stability, disaster preparedness, and affordable housing. Key topics included displacement analysis, mapping layers for council members, and the need to update publicly available mapping tools. The AHAC is scheduled to conduct a listening session on the Home Repair Policy, while the Housing Recovery Board will provide input on disaster-related housing efforts. Both boards are scheduled to operate until June 30, 2027.

The committee also received a follow-up presentation on anti-displacement efforts, which included data on the housing pipeline and a review of large residential projects approved since July 2018. The presentation examined how these projects align with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, "Living Asheville," and analyzed their potential impact on low-to-middle income households. Data presented indicated that current rental housing production falls short of the identified housing gap based on the 2025 Housing Needs Assessment.

No members of the public spoke during the public comment period. Regarding next steps, the CDBG-DR Action Plan amendments are posted for public comment, and a public hearing is scheduled for the October 28, 2025, City Council Meeting. Following a 30-day public comment period, the city will request approval from HUD. The CDBG Policy Manual revisions are effective immediately, and the city is soliciting written feedback from the community.