Asheville
Tag: Affordable housing
Showing 232-252 of 354 results
Space race: Deconstructing Asheville’s affordable housing problem
While 2016 statistics show increasing availability in the area’s rental housing market, Asheville renters say their choices remain limited and prices steep. Several city initiatives — including a $25 million affordable housing bond referendum approved by voters in November — aim to bolster the supply of affordable housing, while some private-sector players are pursuing similar goals.
City Council to study three sites for affordable housing bond funding
At City Council’s first budget work session since city voters approved a $74 million bond referendum, elected officials considered how to move forward on planning for the use of the funds. In one key decision, Council members agreed to assess three properties for potential city-led affordable housing development.
Sentenced to hotel row
Asheville
Letter writer: A reason to be hopeful about Trump
“As a trailer dweller, I still have one big reason to be hopeful about Trump, which is that he will use the presidency to leverage zoning variances to build millions of high-rise apartments in liberal elite places like Montford, thus making the neighboring houses affordable to white workers like me; though to do that he will have to resist the blind trust.”
Asheville’s rental housing shortage eases
Third-quarter data released by two real estate research firms show an improving environment for Asheville metro area renters.
Invest ye merry gentlemen
Asheville
Rental housing shortage eases
Third-quarter data released by two real estate research firms show an improving environment for Asheville metro area renters. After a late 2014 report showed a rental vacancy rate of less than 1 percent in Asheville and Buncombe County, local officials and renters have frequently described the area’s shortage of affordable housing as a crisis.
Can real estate investors help solve Asheville’s housing woes?
Asheville’s housing affordability crisis has received a lot of attention, but solving the problem demands a wide range of solutions. One set of initiatives is looking at ways private real estate investors focused on building smaller, more affordable homes to ease the housing crunch.
Council balks at Pritchard Park fencing, maintains ADU homestay ban
City Council postponed a decision on Pritchard Park improvements, approved affordable housing grants of over $500,000 for a controversial South Asheville apartment complex, retained the city’s existing ban on homestays in accessory dwelling units and pitched in to support a planning collaboration that aims to expand access to preschool to all children in Buncombe County.
Affordable housing panel to look at public/private approaches on Nov. 14
The Carolinas Real Estate Investors Association will host a panel discussion on innovative models for increasing the supply of affordable housing on Monday, Nov. 14 from 6:30-9 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
Letter writer: Weighing in on the bond
“Perhaps it could be delayed and neglected for what some might claim to be sound reasons, but ultimately assets, infrastructure and development have to keep pace with growth.”
Asheville city bond will help create housing affordability
“These bonds will provide funding to build new homes and apartments all around the city that families can afford, as well as the infrastructure to connect neighborhoods to schools, work, grocery stores and parks — all at minimum risk for city residents.”
Communication breakdown: city staff called to account for edible park miscues
City staff were called to account for a communication failure that led to the removal of mature fruit trees at George Washington Carver Edible Park last month. City Council approved a land use incentive grant for affordable housing on Simpson Street, amended the process for requesting a variance from the city’s signage ordinance and approved modest changes to the rules that govern downtown street performances.
Letter writer: We need fresh policies for affordable housing
“Our existing affordable housing policy or any variation on it is bound to fail and waste borrowed money.”
Letter writer: Public deserves long-term bond benefits
“We should strive for real, long-term benefits to our citizens rather than just letting the catchword ‘affordable’ create a massive debt with possibly little return.”
Letter writer: Has Asheville changed since the 1950s?
“With the completion of 420 apartments, 100 more apartments under construction and whispers of 600 to come, you might imagine that the combination of property speculators, city ‘planning’ staff and Council itself were working to destroy rather than protect the character of our neighborhood.”
Zoning to be focus of Sept. 6 hearings before Asheville City Council
It’s been nearly four weeks since City Council last met. Five zoning requests dominate the agenda for Council’s Sept. 6 meeting. Notably absent from the proceedings will be a public hearing on proposed standards for screening electrical substations, a zoning ordinance amendment that has already been postponed many times. Council has been asked to advance the hearing date on that matter to Jan. 10.
Close to home: Mapping Asheville’s bond referendum
The die is cast: a $74 million bond referendum will appear on Asheville voters’ General Election ballots in November. What uses has the city proposed for the money and, if the referendum passes, how will that spending affect different parts of the city?
Lee Walker Heights redevelopment won’t get tax credits
The Housing Authority of the City of Asheville learned on Monday that it won’t get nearly $17 million of tax credit financing to support the planned redevelopment of the Lee Walker Heights public housing community — at least not this year.
