Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee

The Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee (HIAC), a joint committee of Asheville City Council and Buncombe County Commission, is composed of not more than 16 members representing various focus areas or agencies related to homelessness.  The term of office is 3 years.

The Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee also serves as the governance board for the NC-501 Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care.  The Continuum of Care is a program of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development that guides local communities in effectively responding to homelessness as a unified system.  As the governance board for our community’s Continuum of Care, HIAC is responsible for creating, implementing, and evaluating policies and strategies and steering federal resource allocation to most effectively end homelessness in Asheville and Buncombe County.

This committee worked closely with the National Alliance to End Homelessness throughout their project on Understanding Unsheltered Homelessness and has active work groups developing implementation plans in response to recommendations delivered by the Alliance.  

Establishing a new Continuum of Care

The primary recommendation from the Alliance was to restructure our community’s Continuum of Care to promote community leadership and wider collaboration among stakeholders.  A new Continuum of Care membership body has been established and adopted a governance charter at its first meeting on February 29, 2024.  Learn more about this important shift in our community’s response to homelessness, and become a member of the Continuum of Care to align your efforts with others’ across Asheville and Buncombe County.

The new Continuum of Care Membership will meet on Thursday, April 25, 2024 at 6:00 p.m. at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville to elect its new governing board. Meeting materials with all details will be published at least 7 days in advance.

 

Current Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee members include:

David Nash, Chair

Lance Crawford – Director of Workforce Development, Goodwill Industries of Northwest NC (Vice Chair)

Celeste Ordiway – Vice President of Transition and Housing, Vaya Health

Claire Hubbard – Community Paramedics Program Manager, Buncombe County

David Bartholomew – Homelessness Prevention Program Director, Pisgah Legal Services

Elvia Diaz – Subject Matter Expert with Lived Experience

Jaime Benshoff – Subject Matter Expert with Lived Experience

Joell Steininger – Healthcare for Homeless Veterans Section Chief, WNC VA Health Care System

Lacy Hoyle – Homelessness Program Manager, Buncombe County

Marcus Laws – Homeless Services Director, Homeward Bound

Rick Freeman – President, Coalition of Asheville Neighborhoods

Tim McElyea – Administrative Officer, Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministries

Tricia Killion – Division VP of Case Management, HCA Healthcare

 


Regular Meeting Schedule

The Homeless Initiative Advisory Committee (HIAC) meets in person at City Hall in the first floor conference room on the second Thursday of each month, 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.  

Community members are welcome and encouraged to attend or to follow the live stream virtually on the City’s YouTube Channel.  Recordings are posted below after meetings have concluded.

Public comment is accepted live during the meeting from in person attendees or virtually in advance.  To submit a public comment in advance, email C88380@publicinput.com or leave a voicemail by calling 855-925-2801 and entering code 9836 when prompted.  Advance comments will be shared with committee members but not read aloud during the meeting.

Meeting materials will be available below at least 3 days prior to meetings.

Have an issue with participating in a board or commission meeting, in person or virtually? Use this form to let us know!

 


 

 

Meeting Materials  

Agendas

Documents 

Recordings

March 14, 2024 Agenda

March 14, 2024 Documents

March 14, 2024 Recording

February 8, 2024 Agenda

February 8, 2024 Documents

February 8, 2024 Recording

January 11, 2024 Agenda

January 11, 2024 Documents

January 11, 2024 Recording

Novmeber 09, 2023 Agenda 

November 09, 2023 Documents 

November 09, 2023 Recording

October 12, 2023 Agenda 

October 12, 2023 Documents 

October 12, 2023 Recording 

 September 12, 2023 Agenda 

September 12, 2023 Documents

September 12, 2023 Recording

August 10, 2023 Agenda 

August 10, 2023 Documents 

August 10, 2023 Recording

July 27, 2023 Agenda

July 27, 2023 Documents 

July 27, 2023 Recording

June 8, 2023 Agenda

June 8, 2023 Documents

June 8, 2023 Recording 

May 11,2023 Agenda 

May 11,2023 Documents 

May 11,2023 Recording 

April 13, 2023 Agenda 

April 13, 2023 Documents

April 13, 2023 Recording

March 9, 2023 Agenda

March 9, 2023 Documents

Recording

February 09,2023 Agenda 

February 09, 2023 Documents

Recording 

January 26, 2023 Retreat Agenda

January 26, 2023 Retreat Documents

1/26 Retreat Recording

January 12, 2023 Agenda

January 12, 2023 Documents

Recording

November 30, 2022 Agenda 

November 30, 2022 Documents

Recording 

October 28, 2022 Agenda 

October 28, 2022 Documents 

No Recording 

In person meeting 

September 23, 2022 Agenda

September 23, 2022 Documents

No Recording

September 13, 2022 Agenda 

September 13, 2022 Documents

September 13, 2022 Recording

August 26, 2022 Agenda 

August 26, 2022 Documents

August 26, 2022  Recording

July 29, 2022 Agenda 

July 29, 2022 Documents

July 29, 2022 Recording

June 24, 2022 Agenda

June 24, 2022 Documents 

June 24, 2022 Recording 

May 27,2022 Agenda

May 27, 2022 Documents

May 27, 2022 Recording 

April 29, 2022 Agenda

April 29, 2022 Documents

April 29, 2022 Recording

March 25, 2022 Agenda

March 25, 2022 Documents

March 25, 2022 Recording

February 25, 2022 Agenda 

Meeting is Canceled

February 25, 2022 Documents

Meeting is Canceled

February 25, 2022 Recording

Meeting is Canceled 

January 28, 2022 Agenda  January 28, 2022 Documents January 28, 2022 Recording  
December 10, 2021 Agenda  December 10, 2021 Documents   December 10, 2021  Recording 
October 29, 2021 Agenda October 29, 2021 Documents October 29, 2021 Recording  
September 24, 2021  Agenda  September 24, 2021  Documents September 24, 2021 Recording  
July 30, 2021 Agenda  July 30, 2021 Documents   July 30, 2021 Recording 
May 28, 2021 Updated Agenda May 28, 2021 Documents May 28, 2021 recording  
March 26, 2021 Agenda March 26, 2021 Documents  March 26, 2021 Recording 
January 29, 2021 Agenda January 29, 2021 Documents   January 29, 2021 Recording 
September 23, 2020 Agenda  September 23, 2020 Documents  September 23, 2021 Recording 
July 28, 2020 Agenda July 28, 2020 Documents July 28, 202o Recording  
February 25, 2020 Agenda February 25, 2020 Documents No Available Recording 
December 11, 2019 Agenda December 11, 2019 Documents No Available Recording 
October 22, 2019 Agenda October 22, 2019 Documents No Available Recording 
September 24, 2019 Agenda September 24, 2019 Documents No Available Recording 

 


 

Funding Allocations Work Group

 

The Funding Allocations Work Group reviews and evaluates applications for Funding Opportunities and makes recommendations to HIAC for funding decisions.  Meetings are scheduled based on funding application timelines and are held in person at City Hall.  Members of the public are welcome and encouraged to attend.  Meeting materials will be linked below at least 3 days prior to meetings.

 


 

Policies and Resources:

 

 


Contact Information

Emily Ball, Manager
Homeless Strategy Division
eball@ashevillenc.gov
828. 271.6129

 

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