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 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 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME applications now open Posted on January 15, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville’s Community and Economic Development Department is now accepting applications for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME, “Home Investment Partnerships Program program.The application process is online, and the link to the webinar for CDBG and HOME application is here. The deadline for applications is Friday [...] Thomas Wolfe Auditorium celebrates 80th anniversary with public information session to view the conceptual design for a venue transformation project Posted on January 2, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Thomas Wolfe Auditorium set to celebrate 80 years of events this month On Jan. 8, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium will celebrate its 80th year anniversary of providing a civic home for music, arts, and entertainment in Asheville, beginning a year-long celebration of the venue’s history and plans for potential future development. In conjunction with this announcement, the City [...] Asheville 2019 in review: Electric buses, election format, red pandas and more Posted on December 26, 2019January 8, 2020 by Polly McDaniel With 2019 nearly in the books, it’s time to take stock of City of Asheville projects and developments from the past year. Here are 10 initiatives that your City government advanced in 2019. Read about the Asheville Police Department’s accomplishments for 2019 at this link. We’ll have 2020 initiatives to look [...] More Community and Economic Development News
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.
Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME applications now open Posted on January 15, 2020 by Polly McDaniel The City of Asheville’s Community and Economic Development Department is now accepting applications for the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME, “Home Investment Partnerships Program program.The application process is online, and the link to the webinar for CDBG and HOME application is here. The deadline for applications is Friday [...]
Thomas Wolfe Auditorium celebrates 80th anniversary with public information session to view the conceptual design for a venue transformation project Posted on January 2, 2020 by Polly McDaniel Thomas Wolfe Auditorium set to celebrate 80 years of events this month On Jan. 8, Thomas Wolfe Auditorium will celebrate its 80th year anniversary of providing a civic home for music, arts, and entertainment in Asheville, beginning a year-long celebration of the venue’s history and plans for potential future development. In conjunction with this announcement, the City [...]
Asheville 2019 in review: Electric buses, election format, red pandas and more Posted on December 26, 2019January 8, 2020 by Polly McDaniel With 2019 nearly in the books, it’s time to take stock of City of Asheville projects and developments from the past year. Here are 10 initiatives that your City government advanced in 2019. Read about the Asheville Police Department’s accomplishments for 2019 at this link. We’ll have 2020 initiatives to look [...]