What we do Asheville is recognized worldwide for being a hub for healthcare industries, maker economies and craft entrepreneurship, breweries, small businesses, travel and tourism, breathtaking natural resources, and a rich place for arts, culture, music and entertainment. The Community and Economic Development Department promotes the City’s development polices and leverages resources in order to enhance economic opportunity. We work with the community to improve economic and social conditions to create a vibrant, robust and sustainable city. To view the City Manager’s Development Forum please see below. Fall 2019 City Manager’s Development Forum Presentation Spring 2019 City Manager’s Development Forum Presentation Contact: Christina Harris ConnectCommunity and Economic Development70 Court Plaza, Asheville, NC 28801Mailing AddressPO Box 7148, Asheville, NC 28802Business HoursMonday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.DirectorSam Powers, spowers@ashevillenc.govAdministrative Assistant Christina HarrisMain Phone Line828-232-4505Additional LinksStaff Directory Related Services Apply for a commercial film or photography permit Information about commercial filming and photography work involving city-owned property, sidewalks, streets, and parks. Apply for a special event or festival permit Information about hosting an event on city-owned property, sidewalks, streets and parks. Cold weather emergency shelter When extreme cold weather is expected, the Asheville Homeless Coalition issues a Code Purple Alert. Participating homeless shelters voluntarily add space beyond their normal capacity to keep as many people as possible out of the cold. To find out when Code Purple is in effect, visit the Homeless Coalition’s Code [...] Find financial support for your Asheville business Learn about financial support that may be available for your business. Find or register a minority, women or disabled-owned business Resources for finding or registering a minority, women or disabled-owned business. More Related Services Community and Economic Development News SoCon hoops returns! Here’s your guide to matchups, special events, parking and more — including free trolleys Posted on February 27, 2020February 27, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The 2020 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s and Woman’s Basketball Tournament Presented by General Shale returns to the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville March 5 – 9. Tickets are still available and there are lots of special events planned to coincide with the tournament, such as the Asheville Mardi Gras Parade returns to South Slope, bringing fun along with traffic/parking impacts Posted on February 19, 2020February 24, 2020 by Polly McDaniel This Sunday, Feb. 23, the Asheville Mardi Gras Parade returns to the South Slope. The parade begins at 3 p.m. Lineup and float assembly will take place in surface parking lots along Asheland Avenue. The parade begins on Hilliard Avenue at Asheland Avenue, down south Coxe Avenue and wraps along the streets of [...] Charlotte Street Road Diet construction begins Posted on February 17, 2020February 26, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Initial phase will be sidewalk work The construction phase of the Charlotte Street road diet is scheduled to begin in February and continue through May. The first phase of construction will entail a lane closure as contractors reconstruct portions of the sidewalk on the north end of Charlotte street near Edwin Place. Once complete, repaving of the [...] More Community and Economic Development News
Apply for a commercial film or photography permit Information about commercial filming and photography work involving city-owned property, sidewalks, streets, and parks.
Apply for a special event or festival permit Information about hosting an event on city-owned property, sidewalks, streets and parks.
Cold weather emergency shelter When extreme cold weather is expected, the Asheville Homeless Coalition issues a Code Purple Alert. Participating homeless shelters voluntarily add space beyond their normal capacity to keep as many people as possible out of the cold. To find out when Code Purple is in effect, visit the Homeless Coalition’s Code [...]
Find financial support for your Asheville business Learn about financial support that may be available for your business.
Find or register a minority, women or disabled-owned business Resources for finding or registering a minority, women or disabled-owned business.
SoCon hoops returns! Here’s your guide to matchups, special events, parking and more — including free trolleys Posted on February 27, 2020February 27, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The 2020 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s and Woman’s Basketball Tournament Presented by General Shale returns to the Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville March 5 – 9. Tickets are still available and there are lots of special events planned to coincide with the tournament, such as the
Asheville Mardi Gras Parade returns to South Slope, bringing fun along with traffic/parking impacts Posted on February 19, 2020February 24, 2020 by Polly McDaniel This Sunday, Feb. 23, the Asheville Mardi Gras Parade returns to the South Slope. The parade begins at 3 p.m. Lineup and float assembly will take place in surface parking lots along Asheland Avenue. The parade begins on Hilliard Avenue at Asheland Avenue, down south Coxe Avenue and wraps along the streets of [...]
Charlotte Street Road Diet construction begins Posted on February 17, 2020February 26, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Initial phase will be sidewalk work The construction phase of the Charlotte Street road diet is scheduled to begin in February and continue through May. The first phase of construction will entail a lane closure as contractors reconstruct portions of the sidewalk on the north end of Charlotte street near Edwin Place. Once complete, repaving of the [...]