City Council frees up $4 million to provide grants to residents and businesses

At an abbreviated Oct. 22 meeting, its first since Tropical Storm Helene, Asheville City Council voted, 6-0, to repurpose existing city money to aid businesses and residents impacted by the storm. Vice Mayor Sandra Kilgore was absent.

In a presentation before Council, Nikki Reid, Asheville’s community and economic development director, said that city staff focused on three needs: business restabilization, home repair and rental assistance.

“Grants are in high demand right now,” Reid said.

Council approved two resolutions and a budget amendment, which frees up funds for the following:

Business restabilization grants – $929,070

Using funds from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the city will offer grants to help businesses replace buildings, structures, furniture, fixtures and equipment.

Home repair, rental and down payment assistance for low-income homeowners and landlords — $3.4 million

Funding is coming from $1 million in Community Investment Program (CIP) funds no longer needed for supportive housing at the former Ramada Inn at 148 River Ford Parkway. That project changed focus to housing for veterans and low-income housing.

Another $2.4 million for home repairs and down payment assistance is coming from money set aside to build 82 units at Deaverview Apartments. That project, announced in 2022, fell apart because of a lack of adequate funding.

The city will work with nonprofit partners to manage the application process and award these funds.

In other news

• During her city manager’s report, Debra Campbell announced that most city offices would be open for normal business hours, starting Oct. 23.
• In a brief presentation, Tony McDowell, Asheville’s director of finance, said that if voters approve the city’s proposed $80 million general bond package in November, it will require the council to consider a property tax increase. However, because Buncombe County pushed back its reappraisal deadline by a year to see how the storm will affect property values, the city will also postpone a vote on the tax rate adjustment from June 2025 to June 2026, McDowell said.
• Public comments were abbreviated so Council members could attend a candlelight vigil in Pack Square Park at 6 p.m. Two of the four people who addressed Council spoke about the city’s initial plan to store storm debris in areas near low-income housing developments in West Asheville and at the City of Asheville Municipal Golf Course. Campbell later announced that the city would use the Enka Commerce Park instead, but prepare 65 Ford St. and the golf course in case the city needs it later.
• Asheville resident Taylon Breanne said that the city property at 65 Ford St. is zoned Employment District (EMP), which is designed for employment-generating uses like offices, light manufacturing, storage and warehousing. “Chip mills, incinerators and hazardous waste dumping are not allowed under EMP zoning,” Breanne said. “The special use of this property is required to not adversely affect the health or safety of persons residing or working in the neighborhood.”
• Mayor Esther Manheimer began the meeting by commending the community for coming together in the wake of Helene. “I would just like to begin first by thanking our community for stepping up and doing all the amazing work they did to help their neighbors,” Manheimer said. “I know there are folks that are eager to applaud and thank us for our efforts and pray for us, and we’ve heard from so many of them, and we also have our critics. We haven’t done everything right, and I know that we have stumbled. We’re trying to right any wrongs that we have done as quickly as they have happened.”