Community members experience homelessness when they’re unable to afford housing or lack sufficient support and resources during a normal life crisis like a medical emergency, job loss, or loss of a family member. Homelessness experienced for long periods of time often results in extreme trauma and physical and behavioral health crises, and the effects of homelessness can also negatively impact people with housing across the community. 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 outcome: for all Asheville residents to have housing, safety, and stability, fostering a community where all of us can thrive.
The City of Asheville responds to homelessness through:
- Participating in the Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care, the local collaborative planning body with responsibility for homelessness response. The Continuum of Care is governed by a leadership board that includes City Manager Debra Campbell and Mayor Manheimer and is staffed by the City’s Homeless Strategy Division.
- Providing resources to homeless service providers, including annual funding for street outreach, coordinated entry, and cold weather emergency shelter called Code Purple and capital funding for key housing and shelter projects.
- Operational response to mitigate the effects of homelessness, including the Asheville Fire Department’s Community Responder program, which reimagines public safety response to homelessness. Community Responders proactively engage with both concerned residents and people experiencing homelessness to problem solve and connect people to resources.
Services
Seek assistance for yourself or someone you know experiencing homelessness
- 211 is a free service that provides information about available resources and how to access them. By calling 211, you can talk with a trained professional who can identify community-based services that may be a fit for your particular situation. Call 2-1-1 from any phone or toll-free at (888) 892-1162 or visit their website.
- Local affordable housing resources are available from Land of the Sky Association of Realtors and Buncombe County.
- Request direct assistance by calling 911 in an emergency or by calling by calling the Asheville Police Department’s non-emergency line at (828) 252-1110. Public safety professionals will dispatch the most appropriate personnel for the situation, which may include Community Responders.
Learn more about homelessness in our community and join the collaborative response
- Participate in the Homelessness Learning Series provided by the City’s Homeless Strategy Division. This 3-part series provides a foundational overview of the issue and its complexities, how we’re responding as a community, and ways you can take action.
- Visit the Homeless Strategy Division to learn more about homelessness in Asheville.
- Most importantly, join the Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care. The Continuum of Care (CoC) is a membership body of stakeholders like you working together to develop and oversee homeless initiatives in Asheville and Buncombe County. Over 300 CoC Members have elected a leadership board of directors and are serving on committees and work groups to develop and continually improve a community-wide system of care to help people return to housing and stability.
Request encampment response due to safety concerns
- Submit an Asheville App request to initiate City response to encampments, which begins with Community Responders who can visit the site to connect with people camping to work to resolve their situation and to improve the safety and well-being of all community members in that area.
- If your safety or the safety of someone experiencing homelessness is in jeopardy, call 911.
Contact Information
Stephanie Gilliam, Special Projects Coordinator
City Manager’s Office