The Asheville City Council has approved construction of 477 apartments in two developments — one in East Asheville, whose residents wore “Keep Oakley safe” stickers and urged denial of the project. Council members cited a demand for housing and a promise of $200,000 to improve sidewalks in the area.
On Jan. 27 Asheville City Council will consider several economic incentive deals, apartment development requests and a housing study that will help shape policies for years to come.
People in the Oakley community are raising concerns about a new 300-plus-unit apartment complex planned for the East Asheville neighborhood, expressing worries about everything from potential traffic and safety issues to the fact that only 10 of the development’s planned residential units — which are nearly all rental properties — are designated as affordable housing.
The billowing local debates over affordable housing and pedestrian safety are pivoting toward a long overlooked section of West Asheville. A proposal for a major new apartment complex at the corner of Hazel Mill Road and Clayton Avenue just north of Patton Avenue is steering the discussion.
Contention sprung from unexpected corners at the Asheville City Council meeting on Sept. 9, as Council members and a land developer stared each other down on rental rates and safety commitments for a proposed residential development on Sardis Road. Complicating the debate was the fact that about half the development falls within the city limits. The applicant — Winston-Salem Industries […]
As the sun rose above St. Basilica of Lawrence, a crew bustled to raise small shelters in the hot parking lot across the street. The largest building was about 10 feet wide and 13 1/2 feet long, its arched walls and ceiling giving plenty of headroom to passersby who stopped to check it out. Nearby, several […]
This combo meal of two different local stories — such as this and this — is a better value than purchasing two separate cartoons.
Guest columnist Jodi Ford looks at how safe, affordable housing is a challenge to find for families in Asheville – and how foundational a place to call home is for family success. This article is featured as part of a partnership between the Xpress and Children First/ Communities In Schools of Buncombe County.
Report shines light on Asheville’s housing problems, possible solutions.
After a back-and-forth on the usefulness of the city’s housing policies, Asheville City Council signed off on the 192-unit Avalon development tonight, though not without some dissenters. Council was more unified in endorsing a plan to improve the Haywood Road corridor.
Clustered around tables in the U.S. Cellular Center banquet hall during the first day of their annual retreat, Asheville City Council and city staff deliberated everything from affordable housing to surveillance. Here are a few highlights of their discussions.
It’s that time of year again: this Friday (and part of Saturday), Asheville City Council and city staff will meet to discuss goals and challenges in the coming year at their annual retreat. Topics include the city’s big goals, affordable housing and development, future investments, and the impact of the state legislature.
A proposed Chestnut Street development that sparked a major debate about the clash between neighborhood preservation and the need for more housing will not happen, as the developer withdrew the project yesterday due to neighborhood opposition and a number of issues with the development process.
What’s needed to solve Asheville’s housing crunch? Fewer development hurdles, a city “land bank” to preserve property for affordable housing, more density and a hard “target number” for units that need to be created each year— these are some of the ideas to come out of a recent meeting of the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee.
As part of a major effort to examine Asheville’s lack of affordable housing and possibly overhaul the way city government approaches the issue, the Affordable Housing Advisory Committee interviewed a range of developers to find out why many don’t build affordable housing. They replied that the costs of land, a lack of infrastructure, insufficient transit, city rules inhibiting denser development and neighborhood opposition all play a role in why many of them don’t build more affordable units.
Last week, the U.S. Conference of Mayors released an in-depth report examining the hunger and homelessness situations in 25 cities across the country, including Asheville. The report found that the city has serious issues with low wages, unaffordable housing, poverty, and the number of domestic violence survivors who end up homeless. Increases in homelessness are modest, but more families are homeless. The report also highlighted some local organizations doing “exemplary” work on the issues but predicted that coming social service cuts could make the situations on both fronts more dire.
At a ceremony this evening, outgoing Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy’s portrait joined predecessors on the walls of City Hall. In her final speech, Bellamy touted the city’s low unemployment rate and improved relations with Buncombe County government, thanking many of her colleagues. (photo by Josh Vaughn)
After months of delays, a proposed housing development on East Chestnut makes its way to the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission tonight. The plans for a 16-unit development have become a flashpoint about larger development concerns in Asheville. In this case the plans have drawn opposition from some neighborhood residents and preservationists who believe it’s too dense and out of character for the area, while supporters assert the need to alleviate the city’s housing crunch means such projects are necessary.
Asheville City Council chambers were as packed as they’ve been in quite awhile as development teams, UNC Asheville staff, Boy Scouts and advocates of clean energy and civil liberties all filled City Hall for tonight’s meeting. (Photo by Max Cooper)
The Eagle Market Place project, a major affordable housing, commercial and community space development in the heart of downtown’s the Block neighborhood, got the go-ahead for funding from Asheville City Council tonight. The city will contribute $3.3 million to complete the project, and construction is slated to begin in October.
Tomorrow night, Aug. 27, Asheville City Council will consider grants and a loan from its affordable housing trust fund for a project in the Eagle/Market Street area that includes 62 affordable-housing units along with business and community space. If the new funds are approved, the city’s commitment to the project could total $4.6 million.
