Proposed Housing Allocations: $29 million

• $26 million for Affordable Multi-Family Housing Construction Program

• $3 million for State of North Carolina Reconstruction and Rehabilitation of Owner-Occupied Housing (R&R) Program. 

• 51% of this new housing must be “affordable” to those making 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) - in Asheville, that means folks making $74,800. (48% of Asheville residents (and 81% of Black community members) make $50,000 or less.)

• This allocation is too small - we should invest $35 million or more in affordable housing.

• The plan should explicitly name that this money will be primarily used for deeply affordable housing, for those making 50% AMI or lower.

• The plan should include an allocation for rental assistance.

Proposed Economic Recovery Allocations: $50 million

• $30 million for the Revitalization of Commercial Districts 

• $15 million for small business support

• $5 million for workforce development.

• We should  invest more in supporting small businesses ($25 million) and workers ($10 million). This still leaves $15 million to revitalize flooded commercial districts.

• We should be investing in people more than places. If an entrepreneur lost their business in a flooded commercial district, we can support them to rebuild there - or to relocate - whatever will serve their need and the community’s interest. This will allow historical commercial districts to evolve, and make space for new growth in areas that are less prone to flooding, all while ensuring that people are prioritized.

Proposed Infrastructure Allocations: $130 million

• For water system improvements, wastewater system improvements, stormwater management, parks, recreation, and arts and cultural facility development or improvement, transportation and connectivity, commercial district revitalization, affordable housing infrastructure support, and activities for emergency sheltering

• While we do need to invest in things like water, wastewater, stormwater and other physical systems, we should also invest in community connectivity systems - overlapping mechanisms for tying our community together in crises, and for ensuring that all aspects of the recovery are receiving robust input from all sectors of the population.

• After the storm, those who were well-connected - to neighbors, a church, neighborhood association, or other local institution - were much more resilient. Thousands of people were disconnected and therefore disproportionately vulnerable. Our community connectivity - or lack thereof - is a key element of our City’s infrastructure, and should be part of plans to improve it. We need to fund community-based organizations so they can knock on more doors and talk to more people to get real-time feedback on their unmet needs. This will not only make our City government better informed but will ensure that our communities are more resilient in future crises.