2018 in review: 12 biggest impacts on Asheville neighborhoods, by CAN

Amy Kemp, chair of the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods
  1. Property tax increases.
  2. Traffic congestion.
  3. Conditional rezoning and zoning variances.
  4. Removal of tree canopy.
  5. Increase in noise pollution.
  6. Loss of city character.
  7. Housing loss due to continued increase in short-term rentals, exacerbated by lax city enforcement of regulations on short-term rental activity.
  8. Pressure from development that is not aligned with neighborhood overlay plans and the character of individual neighborhoods and that has not matured to incorporate a sustainable approach.
  9. Lack of trust in Asheville Police Department stemming from the Rush pedestrian beating incident.
  10. Concerns regarding a lack of city of Asheville government transparency and the resulting loss of trust.
  11. City staff meets with developers and shapes development proposals without consulting neighborhoods.
  12. CAN’s commitment to partnering with the Neighborhood Advisory Committee.

Amy Kemp serves as chair of the Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods.

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16 thoughts on “2018 in review: 12 biggest impacts on Asheville neighborhoods, by CAN

  1. OzarksRazor

    Looks like the first ‘just the simple facts’ round~up of our leadership’s performance in 2018. Thank you for the information. ✌🏻

  2. Lulz

    What are person does with their home is none of your business. You want to prevent homestays? Lower property taxes and pay higher rents. If you can’t compete with homestay rates, then you have nothing to complain about. But to sit there and think the hotels aren’t laughing at you is funny. All the way to the bank.

    If you were smart you’d allow homestays. You’d pass a yearly fee on them. And the property taxes along with that fee would double your revenue. But it takes someone who has half a brain to realize that all you’re doing is forcing people out so even wealthier people can move here. And you end up with even more gentrification. On top of the owners of the condos in downtown having the ability to rent them out on a daily basis.

    • OzarksRazor

      #legit about the homestays. The city opting for hotels over folks being able to make a living off of their own property is pretty telling.

    • Helen

      Homestays are legal with a permit.
      There are no issues with homestays, there are a lot of issues with whole house rentals, therein lies the difference.
      Sure you can do what ever you want with your property, but if you want to run a hotel then apply for the licenses and get your home rezoned to commercial. The rest of us purchased homes in residential neighborhoods and not commercial neighborhoods, because we want to live in a residential neighborhood.
      When the street you live on goes from being a neighborhood to a ghost town except on Friday, Saturday when the Charlotte/ Atlanta drinkers arrive, it is a big problem.

      • OzarksRazor

        I haven’t looked in quite a while, but are ADUs and AirB&Bs part of the homestay permitting?
        Homestays are those in which the owners still live in or on the property… aren’t they?
        Why would they be vacant except for the weekends?
        Thanks in advance!

        • Lulz

          And what does it matter if they are vacant? The houses around me are all occupied. But I hardly ever see anyone outside.

          • SpareChange

            Ha! Have you considered that they may just be trying real hard to avoid one of their neighbors?

          • Helen

            If the houses are occupied, then they are not vacant……

        • Helen

          Homestays are where the person still lives in the home, they are legal, work great for homeowners and are no problem at all.
          ADUs are still under discussion and can be argued both ways.
          WHOLE HOUSE rentals where the owner is absent and could be living anywhere in the world are the issue.
          Big corporations (like the hotel groups) also purchase homes and run them with agencies if there is no legislation against them, they are a huge problem for neighborhoods.
          There is one company here in Asheville?Buncombe that currently owns and runs 60 homes as vacation rentals.

          • OzarksRazor

            I was misunderstanding your position on homestays and appreciate your clarification!

      • Lulz

        LOL they’re empty anyway. Oh sure people live there but they don’t do much of anything else. I could understand if it were like in the past where neighbors knew each other and their kids played in the streets, but those days are long gone. And your inability to discern between loud drunks and tourist is telling. If the town is simply a place for drunks to gather, then why do you want to continue with it?

  3. Enlightened Enigma

    #13 City still refuses to provide leaf vacuuming for residents, which was normal for decades, Now leaves get dumped into the streets to rot.

    • OzarksRazor

      Leaves should stay on lawns, where they belong.
      Nature is funny that way.

    • Helen

      As a responsible resident you should rake up your leaves, put them in a bag and the city will pick them up. Or better yet, start a compost pile in your yard, leaves will be gone by spring, or just leave them on your precious lawn and mulch them up. With so many cars parked on the street the city can barely clean anything or clear the snow.

      • Lulz

        LOL as a responsible citizen, I get up and go to work so I can pay the taxes that the government is supposed to use to upkeep the streets with. And if they lower or get rid of services that were once common, then they should also lower the taxes. It’s funny how they collect leaves downtown isn’t t? And wash the sidewalks. I can’t even get the sidewalk repaired in front of my house though.

  4. Jim Reeves

    Thanks Amy for speaking up for the people that don’t get corporate welfare from the supposed “progressives” “representing” the city! It was nice meeting you at the “soul of money” meeting! I enjoyed the conversation.

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