On Feb. 1, a homeless camp under an I-240 bridge in the City limits was removed. The action did not align with the City of Asheville’s typical practice in handling homeless camps. The City Manager’s Office met with Division 13 North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) staff Feb. 2 to fully understand what occurred and [...]
There has been much discussion over the past few weeks about the tent encampment that has grown near the NCDOT property located on Haywood Street near I-240. As the camp has grown, so have the concerns over public safety and public health. We have received numerous complaints of open drug use, theft, and sexual assault at [...]
Homelessness in Asheville has long been a serious and complex issue. The COVID-19 pandemic has both highlighted and heightened this reality. While the homeless service system we’ve had in Asheville has ended homelessness for a small number of people annually, it’s never had the resources to operate at a scale that will make homelessness truly [...]
The 2023 Point-in-Time (PIT) results were submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on April 28 as part of Asheville’s Continum of Care designation. The annual count was conducted on January 31, 2023, with the help of 75 volunteers, the largest number of volunteers to date. Emily Ball, Homeless Strategy Division Manager [...]
The City of Asheville’s 2021 Point-in-Time count was conducted on January 27, 2021, and the results have been submitted to the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The 2021 Point-in-Time count identified 527 people experiencing homelessness in our community, which is a slight decrease from the 2020 count of 547. Overall the data are consistent [...]
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 [...]
In a continuing effort to partner with local agencies to mitigate the impacts of homelessness in our community the City of Asheville will help fund Homeward Bound’s acquisition of the Days Inn on Tunnel Road for permanent supportive housing for our homeless population. At their July 27 meeting, Asheville City Council approved a [...]
With overnight temperatures persisting in the 20s and teens this week, the Homeless Coalition has extended its Code Purple for Asheville and Buncombe County nightly Feb. 1-4. Here is a look at the Asheville weather forecast. Please encourage people to seek safe shelter from the cold. The CODE PURPLE effort stems from the collaborative work of the Homeless [...]
With snow in the Asheville weather forecast and overnight temperatures in the teens, 20s and 30s this week, the Homeless Coalition has extended its Code Purple for Asheville and Buncombe County nightly through Jan. 19. Encourage those who don’t have a place to stay to seek warmth at local shelters. Shelters will be open [...]
ASHEVILLE — In response to the severe cold weather, Asheville area shelters are offering emergency cold weather services to people who are currently experiencing homelessness and would not otherwise have a safe, warm place to stay. To minimize risk to people in Asheville and Buncombe County, when the temperature falls below 32 degrees (or the equivalent [...]
As part of the nationwide 2018 Point-in-Time (PIT) count, the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Initiative conducted a one-night count of homeless individuals and families on Jan. 31, 2018. With the help of local service providers, emergency shelters, housing programs and street count volunteers, the community has collected additional data indicating the continued need for safe and affordable housing [...]
As part of the nationwide 2020 Point-in-Time (PIT) count, the Asheville-Buncombe County Homeless Initiative has completed its report of the community’s one-night count of individuals and families experiencing homelessness. The final report was submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD) on May 15. Asheville’s count was conducted in the afternoon and evening [...]
Along with a forecast of snow, Asheville will experience below normal temperatures the next few days, with lows tonight in the 20s and Friday night in the teens. By Sunday lows are forecast to fall to single digits, prompting the Homeless Coalition to issue a Code Purple alert through Jan. 9. The CODE PURPLE effort stems [...]
In advance of the deadline to those illegally camping at Riverbend Park, the City of Asheville worked in partnership with Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness the evening of April 19 to relocate unsheltered people at the encampment to temporary housing at a local hotel. Using federal funds anticipated from the American Rescue Plan, the City [...]
The City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County, today released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to hire a consultant to develop an actionable plan to address unsheltered homelessness in Asheville and Buncombe County.
Update: For a map of temporary, portable hand washing stations and restrooms, visit this link. The map is being updated as new stations are installed. Original post: With the COVID-19 public health emergency going on it has never been more important to be able to wash your hands. Besides keeping 6 feet of distance [...]
Working with community partners, the City of Asheville today provided 15 rooms for unsheltered people relocated from Duke Energy property near Isaac Dickson Elementary School. Those partners include Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness, Homeward Bound and BeLoved, who did outreach to people in this encampment, helped them pack their belongings and transported them to [...]
As part of the nationwide 2017 Point-in-Time (PIT) count, the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Initiative conducted a one-night count of homeless individuals and families on Wednesday, January 25, 2017. With the help of local service providers, emergency shelters, housing programs and street count volunteers, the community has collected critical data to support the continued need for safe [...]
As temperatures begin to drop we want to make sure people know where to go when frigid weather strikes. If you or someone you know needs shelter, the following sites are available when the Asheville-Buncombe CODE PURPLE is in effect. Code Purple is a voluntary effort among private sector shelter providers, coordinated by the
Beginning today, Code Purple emergency shelter is available to people experiencing homelessness when the temperature is at or below 32 degrees. Code Purple is a long-standing community initiative to create additional shelter capacity on freezing nights to ensure survival. There are two participating shelters this year: Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM) will be providing Code Purple beds [...]
With temperatures going down into the 20s this week, the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Coalition has called a Code Purple for people who need shelter. Starting Dec. 1, shelter will be available at First Congregational UCC, 20 Oak St., for about 30 men and up to 20 women and children. This is in partnership with Western Carolina Rescue [...]
Asheville City Council, on May 10, were given an update on many areas impacting homelessness in our community. Among the areas addressed by the Community and Economic Development team were results of the 2022 Point-in-Time count, a resolution adopted by Council to accept funding for a Homelessness Services consultant, and updates to a decreased [...]
Partnering with Homeward Bound, the City of Asheville will fund a full-time position to provide assertive street outreach for homeless populations not currently being served. At their Sept. 24 meeting, City Council allocated $150,000 in the adopted Fiscal Year 2019-20 budget to Homeward Bound for homeless street outreach services. This will be used to [...]
The City of Asheville invites the public to a meeting about permanent supportive housing at the Ramada. The meeting will take place virtually from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, December 8. On December 3, the City of Asheville announced that it is no longer moving forward with creating an emergency homeless shelter at the [...]
The City of Asheville, Buncombe County, Homeward Bound and numerous community partners organized a resource for individuals without homes at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville on April 8. As the City of Asheville’s 30-day agreement with Homeward Bound to manage an emergency homeless shelter at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville has expired, staff and community partners [...]
The original plan The City of Asheville had originally planned to create a high-access emergency shelter at the Ramada property. This was in response to a critical and urgent need in our community to provide shelter for people with complex issues who are otherwise underserved. The City had started sheltering unhoused people in [...]
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 [...]
The National Weather Service has placed Asheville and Buncombe County under a Winter Weather Advisory from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday. Jan. 29. According to the Weather Service, there is an 80% chance of snow on Tuesday, with a small accumulation possible, in the 1 to 3 inch range. This will be accompanied [...]
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory. Because of that, the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Coalition has extended its CODE PURPLE overnight through Nov. 15-16. The purpose of the CODE PURPLE procedure is to provide a coordinated effort among Asheville and Buncombe County, North Carolina shelters and other organizations to provide emergency [...]
UPDATE: Code Purple in effect through October 20 Code Purple is an activation of emergency services including shelters and county paramedic services when temperature drops to around 32 degrees F. Transportation ART offers free transportation for those in need from 3:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. on days when Code Purple has been activated. Shelters For men: Veterans Restoration [...]
With the Asheville weather forecast of overnight temperatures in the upper 20s and low 30s the next few days, the Homeless Coalition has issued a Code Purple for Asheville and Buncombe County for tonight, Nov. 22, and Thanksgiving, Nov. 23. Please encourage people to seek safe shelter from the cold. The CODE PURPLE effort stems from the [...]
With temperatures expected to be below freezing overnight the next few days, the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Coalition issued its CODE PURPLE overnight through Nov. 20-22. And yes, that includes Thanksgiving Day. The purpose of the CODE PURPLE procedure is to provide a coordinated effort among Asheville and Buncombe County, North Carolina shelters and other organizations to provide [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
The City of Asheville has announced that all meetings will be conducted virtually, due to the community spread of Covid-19. For that reason, the previously scheduled in-person August 12 community informational meeting about the City’s emergency shelter at the Ramada Inn will now take place virtually. Join the meeting from 5 to 7 [...]
The City of Asheville will use funding support from Dogwood Health Trust to support people experiencing homelessness. At their Feb. 23 meeting, City Council voted to add the $50,000 donation for Code Purple shelter funding. Code Purple is a longstanding practice where homeless shelter providers exceed regular capacity and waive regular rules on nights when the [...]
The City of Asheville continues to work toward establishing a high access emergency shelter to alleviate homelessness in our city. This is a complex project with many moving pieces and stakeholder participation along the way. While we had anticipated that City Council would vote to purchase the Ramada Inn at 148 River Ford Parkway during their [...]
The City of Asheville and Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville announced this month the launch of multiple efforts to provide support to citizens of Asheville and Buncombe County. Although all events have been cancelled or postponed until June 5, the venue has opened its doors to provide a home for multiple COVID-19 support initiatives, including [...]
In a coordinated effort, the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, Homeward Bound and numerous community partners organized a resource for individuals without homes at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville. The coronavirus outbreak represents a significant health risk for people experiencing homelessness. People living unsheltered are also far more likely to have chronic health conditions, one of the [...]
With temperatures expected to be below freezing overnight the next few days, the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Coalition issued its CODE PURPLE overnight through Nov. 26-28. The purpose of the CODE PURPLE procedure is to provide a coordinated effort among Asheville and Buncombe County, North Carolina shelters and other organizations to provide emergency overflow shelter to people experiencing [...]
With temperatures expected to be below freezing overnight much of this week, the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Coalition issued its CODE PURPLE overnight through Dec. 8 and will likely extend it further in the week due to impending winter weather. The purpose of the CODE PURPLE procedure is to provide a coordinated effort among Asheville and Buncombe County, [...]
With the Asheville weather forecast of overnight temperatures in the teens and 20s the next few days, the Homeless Coalition has issued a Code Purple or Asheville and Buncombe County for Dec. 14-16. The CODE PURPLE effort stems from the collaborative work of the Homeless Coalition, which is a collective of agencies, faith groups, and individuals experiencing [...]
With the Asheville weather forecast of overnight temperatures in the 20s the next few days, the Homeless Coalition has issued a Code Purple for Asheville and Buncombe County for Jan. 26-30. The CODE PURPLE effort stems from the collaborative work of the Homeless Coalition, which is a collective of agencies, faith groups, and individuals experiencing [...]
With the Asheville weather forecast of overnight temperatures in the 30s the next few days, the Homeless Coalition has issued a Code Purple for Asheville and Buncombe County for April 6-7. The CODE PURPLE effort stems from the collaborative work of the Homeless Coalition, which is a collective of agencies, faith groups, and individuals experiencing [...]
Recently reported numbers show that, in 2010, 65 people experiencing homelessness in Buncombe County were placed in, or were in the application process for, permanent housing, reports Amy Sawyer, coordinator of the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Initiative. That, Sawyer says, represents successful progress in advancing the Homeless Initiative and the 10-year Plan to End Homelessness endorsed in [...]
UPDATE: The City of Asheville has announced that all meetings will be conducted virtually, due to the community spread of Covid-19. For that reason, the previously scheduled in-person August 12 community informational meeting about the City’s emergency shelter at the Ramada Inn will now take place virtually. Join the meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, [...]
Read Part 1 and Part 2 of our series on homelessness solutions in Asheville. Homelessness issues in Asheville are long-standing and complex. Right now, the City of Asheville has an unprecedented level of resources available to help end chronic homelessness and build the homeless service system we need to best [...]
An interfaith memorial service to honor Asheville’s homeless and formerly homeless citizens who died in 2018 is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Dec. 19 at Haywood Street Congregation, 297 Haywood St. The Haywood Street Congregation provides several ministries to those experiencing homelessness, including twice-weekly meals and worship services and a medical respite care program. The Rev. [...]
Update to the community from Interim City Manager Cathy Ball: We wanted to provide an update on the Notice of Violation to Firestorm and Steady Collective. After careful review of the information, the determination that the syringe exchange program is most similar to a “shelter” as defined by the UDO stands and will not be revoked. As [...]
Access to affordable housing remains a challenge On Jan. 27, 2016, the Asheville-Buncombe Homeless Initiative conducted the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count of homeless families and individuals. Overall numbers of those experiencing homelessness in our community have decreased since last year: 509 persons reported in January 2016 as compared to 562 persons in January 2015, which represents a [...]
December 13, Shangri-La Industries and Step Up, with the support of the City of Asheville, broke ground on the former Ramada, providing 113 units of permanent supportive housing for people experiencing homelessness in Asheville. [...]
Homelessness has increased steadily throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular increase in the number of people who are unsheltered. 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 [...]
This spring, the City of Asheville began providing rooms for unsheltered people experiencing homelessness at several hotels in the area, including at the Ramada Inn, 148 River Ford Parkway. This incredible opportunity was made possible by an unprecedented level of federal funding from several sources. It played a key role in keeping our homeless community [...]
The City of Asheville has been sharing stories from people staying at the emergency shelter at the Ramada Inn for the past month. This is the final story in our series. We want to thank everyone who has been so kind as to share their stories with us, and we believe that these stories have [...]
This month, the City of Asheville is sharing stories from people who have been staying in the emergency shelter at the Ramada Inn that have been gathered by our partners at Sunrise Community for Recovery & Wellness. We’re extremely grateful that we’ve been trusted with these stories, as they are incredible tales of resilience and [...]
This month, the City of Asheville is sharing stories from people who have been staying in the emergency shelter at the Ramada Inn. Our partners at Sunrise Community for Recovery & Wellness have connected us with people at the Ramada who are interested in speaking about their experiences. We at the City of Asheville are [...]
While our community has strong shelter providers, our homeless service system needs more overnight capacity for people with complex needs. The existing system gap poses an opportunity to create an emergency shelter with individual rooms for each person or family. People experiencing homelessness are often in crisis. This shelter would also provide clinical care and housing-focused [...]