Buncombe will commit to creating or preserving between 2,800-3,150 affordable housing units by 2030, requiring new county investments of an estimated $54 million. Up to 1,850 of those units would be rental properties affordable to residents making 80% or less of the area median income.
Tag: Buncombe County Board of Commissioners
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Letter: What jobs, jobs, jobs really mean
“It seems our elected leaders (from the president to county commissioners) are incapable of implementing solutions to problems that are peaceful and environmentally healthy.”
Letter: Public business should be conducted openly
“We the people need to be informed, but it is hard when they are having meetings by Zoom all the time.”
Buncombe to weigh affordable housing goals March 15
According to a presentation available before the meeting of Tuesday, March 15, the county hopes to “impact 2,800-3,150 affordable housing units by 2030,” including 1,500-1,850 new rental units affordable for households making 80% or less of the area median income ($42,100 for an individual or $60,100 for a family of four).
Big Ivy protections spur big turnout at Buncombe meeting
Although the U.S. Forest Service has recommended that most of Big Ivy be managed for conservation or recreation, approximately 4,000 acres in the North Fork and Snowball Mountain areas has been flagged for potential logging.
Buncombe park turf replacement to cost extra $1.25M
At the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting of Tuesday, March 1, members will be asked to approve a $1.25 million increase to the county’s contract with Georgia-based AstroTurf for designing and installing artificial turf fields at the Buncombe County Sports Park.
Buncombe floats $7.5 million pre-K expansion
Commissioner Jasmine Beach-Ferrara, who chairs the county board’s Early Childhood and Development Committee, outlined a plan for $7.5 million in additional spending on pre-K expansion over the next two years. Funding would come from the county’s roughly $27 million in remaining federal American Rescue Plan Act money.
Buncombe to reconsider mask mandate Feb. 15
Buncombe County’s current indoor mask mandate has been extended three times after going into effect Aug. 18. Robert Pressley, the only Republican on the Board of Commissioners, has thus far been the only member opposed in any of those votes.
Buncombe community survey flags trust, development concerns
Conducted by the ETC Institute, a Kansas-based consultancy, a recent survey aimed to evaluate resident perceptions of the county and its administration.
County considers $749K grant for Haywood Road housing project
On Tuesday, Feb. 1, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners will vote on whether to award Haywood Street Community Development a $749,000 grant toward construction of a 45-unit project in the West End/Clingman Avenue neighborhood. Asheville City Council has already contributed $296,000 toward the project.
$2.3M on the way for Buncombe rental assistance
The extra allocation comes from North Carolina’s state government, which designated the money for the purpose from its federal coronavirus relief funds. Eligible families must apply by the end of September and can receive up to a year of aid for rent and utilities.
Buncombe continues mask mandate amid record COVID spread
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners members unanimously voted Jan. 4 to extend the county’s indoor mask mandate through Wednesday, Feb. 16. The extended mask requirement does not contain any language regarding enforcement, nor does it specify the type of face covering that residents should wear, despite health experts saying cloth masks are insufficient against the omicron variant of the coronavirus.
Buncombe hires attorneys to help with redistricting
The Jan. 4 agenda for the county Board of Commissioners lists “a discussion of Board of Commissioner districts and structure,” accompanied by a letter of engagement with Raleigh-based law firm Poyner Spruill dated Dec. 1.
Commissioners set budget priorities for fiscal 2022-23
Affordable housing, climate change, environmental protection and workforce apprenticeship programs were among the top focus areas identified by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners during a Dec. 9 budget retreat at A-B Tech.
County authorizes nearly $1.7M in pandemic funding for economic development
The funding supports three different economic development projects.
Around Town: Wreath-making workshop focuses on Appalachian folklore, yuletide celebrations
The Swannanoa Valley Museum and History Center presents a wreath-making workshop focused on Appalachian traditions. Plus, Citizen Vinyl explores classic Isaac Hayes album, the African American Heritage Trail takes shape, and the Candlelight Stroll returns to downtown Weaverville.
Letter: On local government corruption
“When you have one party controlling Asheville/Buncombe government, either Republican or Democrat, the fox is guarding the henhouse.”
Buncombe seeks staff expansion for affordable housing
On Tuesday, Dec. 7, the county Board of Commissioners will consider creating three new planning positions at a cost of roughly $164,000 per year. The staffers would help manage feasibility studies as Buncombe pursues affordable housing on county-owned land.
Letter: On conflicts of interest
“It is always up to the official/s who have the authority and the responsibility to enforce the rule to simply enforce the established rule!”
Low-barrier shelter not funded by Buncombe board
The Buncombe County Board of Commissioners awarded over $11 million in federal COVID-19 recovery funding Nov. 16. Those grants did not include any money toward the city of Asheville’s controversial planned purchase of a Ramada Inn for a low-barrier homeless shelter.
$14M in COVID funds up for Buncombe grants Nov. 16
No further details on the organizations that will get new funding or the amounts they could receive were linked to the Board of Commissioners agenda. Over 125 nonprofits, community groups and governmental entities have pitched to the board over the past several months.