Housing and Community Development Committee (Virtual) (Sep 16, 2025)

Housing and Community Development Committee Meeting Recap: September 16, 2025

The Housing and Community Development Committee of the City of Asheville held a virtual meeting on September 16, 2025. The agenda focused on post-disaster recovery, homelessness services, and strategies to prevent the displacement of long-term residents. The committee addressed the approval of previous minutes, received an update on regional homelessness efforts, voted on a state partnership for home repairs, and engaged in a scope discussion regarding anti-displacement policies and Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) amendments.

Key Decisions The committee unanimously approved the minutes from the August 19, 2025 meeting. The primary formal action taken was a vote on the CDBG-DR: State of NC Reconstruction MOU. The committee voted 3-0 to recommend approval of an agreement with the State of North Carolina. This agreement would allow the city to utilize $3 million in federal disaster recovery funds to administer single-family home repair programs for residents affected by Tropical Storm Helene. The recommendation was forwarded to City Council for final authorization.

Discussion Highlights A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to a scope discussion on anti-displacement strategies and UDO amendments. Staff presented data on housing permits, Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs), and single-family home construction from March 2021 to September 1, 2025, to identify areas potentially vulnerable to displacement. The discussion defined displacement in four categories: physical, economic, cultural/social, and environmental. Staff and presenters emphasized the need to pair increased housing density with concrete protections for long-term residents, such as property tax relief, eviction diversion, and community land tools. The conversation also touched on the possibility of developing a "displacement index" to identify high-risk areas and the importance of engaging legacy communities in economic activation initiatives.

The committee also received an update from the Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care (CoC). The CoC reported that it has established a strong foundation for collaborative work, with 522 members representing 92 organizations. Key developments highlighted included the adoption of a 2025-2028 Strategic Plan, the establishment of compensation for people with lived experience, and ongoing work in emergency shelter development, coordinated entry, and homelessness prevention. The CoC board is composed of 86 members representing various sectors, including public safety, faith communities, the VA, and the housing authority.

Follow-ups Staff explicitly agreed to follow up on the anti-displacement discussion by developing a framework for displacement and vulnerability analysis. Additionally, staff committed to discussing the legacy neighborhoods overlay framework with the committee in the future.

Impact on Residents The approval of the CDBG-DR agreement is significant for homeowners who suffered damage from Tropical Storm Helene. The program prioritizes households earning below 60% of Area Median Income (AMI) with children, elderly, or disabled residents, and includes mitigation efforts like slope stabilization. The state will manage applications and contractor selection, while the city will reimburse the state for hard construction costs and monitor compliance with federal regulations.

The focus on anti-displacement strategies reflects a commitment to ensuring that growth and recovery efforts do not price out or displace existing communities. By exploring tools like property tax relief and community land trusts, the committee is working to balance the need for new housing supply with the preservation of existing neighborhoods and the protection of long-term residents.