What we do Last updated or reviewed on January 5, 2023 The Community and Economic Development department fosters an equitable community and economy. We work to preserve and increase the availability of affordable housing, improve access to services, create paths toward economic mobility, promote resiliency, and support sustainable growth. We collaborate with community partners, other government agencies, businesses, and residents to enhance the quality of life and availability of opportunities for all in Asheville. The department includes four divisions, Affordable Housing, Community Development, Homeless Strategy, and Economic Development; and three programs, Business Inclusion Office, City of Asheville Youth Leadership Academy (CAYLA), and City Real Estate Office. The department’s success is measured through the lens of the City’s comprehensive plan and vision, focusing on creating a resilient and thriving local economy, fostering an equitable and diverse community, preserving and developing quality affordable housing, and engaging in responsible regionalism. Contact: Promise Boseman, Business Services Administrator. FY 2023 – 2024 CDBG and HOME Application is now open, for more information please click here. Connect Address 70 Court Plaza, Asheville, NC 28801 Mailing Address PO Box 7148 Phone Number 828-232-4505 Email Address pboseman@ashevillenc.gov Business HoursMonday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.DirectorNikki Reid, nreid@ashevillenc.govBusiness Services AdministratorPromise Boseman, pboseman@ashevillenc.govAdditional LinksStaff Directory Related Services Minority / Woman Business Enterprise (MWBE) Certification Find information to register for certification as a Minority, Woman, and/or Small Business Enterprise (MWSBE) with the City of Asheville. Business Inclusion (ABI) The Business Inclusion Office for the City of Asheville actively seeks to identify minority and women-owned businesses for an opportunity to participate as providers of goods and services to the city. Find 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. 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. Explore Related ServicesRelated Projects HOME-ARP Program Funding Happening Now The City of Asheville is seeking community input and requests that residents, nonprofits, community partners and homeless services providers participate in one of two upcoming surveys pertaining to housing and homelessness. The results of these surveys will be used to inform the City’s recommendations for HOME-ARP funding (see below for more details). Community members can [...] Disparity Study 2022 The City of Asheville’s Community and Economic Development Department has commissioned Miller3 Consulting, Inc. to conduct a five year comprehensive Disparity Study of its contractual awards in goods, professional and general services, and construction. Understanding Unsheltered Homelessness Early in 2022, the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Dogwood Health Trust formed a collaborative to respond to the increased need, and Dogwood Health Trust offered to fund a consultancy to bring national expertise to the local community to better understand and address the crisis of unsheltered homelessness. The City is serving as the contracting point of contact for this collaborative, and published a Request for Proposals in February 2022 on behalf of the group. Explore Related ProjectsCommunity and Economic Development News Asheville Asks: What exactly is this P-I-T count? Posted on February 3, 2023February 3, 2023 by Kim Miller Homelessness is bad for our community: people who experience it are community members in dire need, and people not experiencing it are often negatively impacted by its effects. Whether we’re experiencing homelessness, frustrated by what’s happening around our businesses or in our neighborhoods, or seeking to advocate and take action, we all want the same [...] Community invited to hear recommendations for addressing unsheltered homelessness at January 25 meeting Posted on January 20, 2023 by Kim Miller The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) has concluded their study of unsheltered homelessness in the Asheville area. Based on needs identified through stakeholder interviews, surveys and data collection conducted in summer 2022, the NAEH has drafted recommendations which will be presented to the community during a joint meeting of Asheville City Council and the [...] Community invited to provide input on potential use of HOME-ARP funding to address homelessness Posted on January 19, 2023 by Christy Edwards The City of Asheville, as the Participating Jurisdiction for the four-county Asheville Regional Housing Consortium, is seeking public input to inform and prioritize use of a one-time $4.7 million allocation of HOME Investment Partnerships Program funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funding, known as “HOME-ARP,” is [...] Explore Community and Economic Development News
Minority / Woman Business Enterprise (MWBE) Certification Find information to register for certification as a Minority, Woman, and/or Small Business Enterprise (MWSBE) with the City of Asheville.
Business Inclusion (ABI) The Business Inclusion Office for the City of Asheville actively seeks to identify minority and women-owned businesses for an opportunity to participate as providers of goods and services to the city.
Find 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.
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.
HOME-ARP Program Funding Happening Now The City of Asheville is seeking community input and requests that residents, nonprofits, community partners and homeless services providers participate in one of two upcoming surveys pertaining to housing and homelessness. The results of these surveys will be used to inform the City’s recommendations for HOME-ARP funding (see below for more details). Community members can [...]
Disparity Study 2022 The City of Asheville’s Community and Economic Development Department has commissioned Miller3 Consulting, Inc. to conduct a five year comprehensive Disparity Study of its contractual awards in goods, professional and general services, and construction.
Understanding Unsheltered Homelessness Early in 2022, the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Dogwood Health Trust formed a collaborative to respond to the increased need, and Dogwood Health Trust offered to fund a consultancy to bring national expertise to the local community to better understand and address the crisis of unsheltered homelessness. The City is serving as the contracting point of contact for this collaborative, and published a Request for Proposals in February 2022 on behalf of the group.
Asheville Asks: What exactly is this P-I-T count? Posted on February 3, 2023February 3, 2023 by Kim Miller Homelessness is bad for our community: people who experience it are community members in dire need, and people not experiencing it are often negatively impacted by its effects. Whether we’re experiencing homelessness, frustrated by what’s happening around our businesses or in our neighborhoods, or seeking to advocate and take action, we all want the same [...]
Community invited to hear recommendations for addressing unsheltered homelessness at January 25 meeting Posted on January 20, 2023 by Kim Miller The National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) has concluded their study of unsheltered homelessness in the Asheville area. Based on needs identified through stakeholder interviews, surveys and data collection conducted in summer 2022, the NAEH has drafted recommendations which will be presented to the community during a joint meeting of Asheville City Council and the [...]
Community invited to provide input on potential use of HOME-ARP funding to address homelessness Posted on January 19, 2023 by Christy Edwards The City of Asheville, as the Participating Jurisdiction for the four-county Asheville Regional Housing Consortium, is seeking public input to inform and prioritize use of a one-time $4.7 million allocation of HOME Investment Partnerships Program funding from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The funding, known as “HOME-ARP,” is [...]