Asheville City Council to decide where to direct $18M+ in Helene recovery funds
By Kimberly King
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ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Asheville City Council is set to take up a major funding decision next week: whether to direct more than $18 million in disaster recovery money toward future affordable apartment projects while many homeowners are still waiting on help.
The debate heads to full council Tuesday after the housing development committee voted to advance it. At issue is how to allocate recovery dollars from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, known as a Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR), tied to Hurricane Helene.
City staff says 132 homes are currently waiting for rebuilds or repairs. So far, just one home has been completed, and seven have been approved for work in Asheville city limits.
During a committee meeting, Councilwoman Sage Turner voiced frustration with the pace of progress for residents.
“I don’t feel like our residents’ homes are getting fixed,” said Turner.
At the same time, the city is recommending three public-private apartment developments, including one along Tunnel Road. The plan would allocate $18 million toward 331 units.
City staff says a May 15 application deadline is approaching, tied to the state for review.
Bridget Herring, Asheville’s Helene funding coordinator, said timing is critical to ensure projects move forward.
“It’s time-sensitive to try and move forward the projects we think are most likely to get built as quickly as possible,” said Herring.
But the broader financial picture raises concerns for Councilwoman Turner. City staff estimates it could cost between $30 million and $40 million to fully repair and rebuild Helene-damaged homes—potentially more than what’s currently set aside for housing recovery.
Turner listed her priorities with federal funds for recovery.
“I am putting fixing people’s homes at the top, fixing infrastructure at the top and subsidizing affordable apartments below both of those,” Turner said. “I don’t want to just build apartment complexes in place of fixing people’s homes.”
Other council members signaled that they are ready to continue the discussion at the full council level. Councilwoman Sheneika Smith supported moving the proposal forward, along with Committee Chair Antanette Mosley.
Beyond the immediate proposal, city staff is recommending a broader reallocation of $225 million in CDBG-DR recovery funds:
Housing: $41 million Infrastructure: $115 million Economic revitalization: $52 million Planning: $3.79 million Administration: $11.2 million
The final decision now rests with the full council, where debate is expected to continue over how best to balance urgent home repairs with long-term housing development.
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