In a move that will advance affordable housing, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners approved entering negotiations for a Memorandum of Understanding with Harmony Housing during its regular meeting on March 18. The nonbinding agreement would set the stage for Harmony Housing to be a development partner in turning county-owned properties at 50-52 Coxe Ave. into 206 affordable housing units.
Harmony Housing was selected after reviewing nine development proposals and was selected because of its focus on maximizing multi-family units, parking, commercial integration, and other factors. The goal is to create 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units all designated at 80% or less of area median income. No specific timeline for breaking ground has been established yet, but the memorandum of understanding outlines the responsibilities of establishing milestones for the project.
Currently there are multiple County-owned properties that are slated to be turned into affordable housing, and you can learn more about these projects and subscribe to updates via our engagement portal. For more information on the memorandum of understanding, click here.
Red Cross Month
Many of us are familiar with the Red Cross through its ongoing blood donation efforts and due to the nonprofit’s work in helping Buncombe County and the greater region in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Commissioners declared March as Red Cross month with a proclamation that reads in part: “In the first three months following the devastation of Hurricane Helene, the American Red Cross and its partners provided more than 3.3 million meals and snacks and nearly 56,500 overnight shelter stays, which reached an estimated 464,200 people with disaster relief and recovery services, the vast majority of which were in North Carolina.” You can read the entire proclamation here.
If you or someone you know has post-flooding assistance needs, you can contact the Red Cross at (828) 258-3888 or click here for more information. Want to get involved with Red Cross month activities? Learn more here.
America 250 Committee
Work is underway for a statewide celebration in 2026 commemorating 250 years of North Carolina and the semiquincentennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Commissioners approved a resolution to officially establish the America 250 NC Committee for Buncombe County. The committee will work to secure funding through grants, organize countywide listening sessions, plan events for 2026, and more.
Keep an eye on Buncombe County’s website and social media channels for more information and updates about the committee. You can read the resolution here.
North Carolina CDBG-DR plan
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, North Carolina received $1.4 billion in federal funding through the Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program. Part of the funding process is collecting and approving comments on the state’s action plan for the money. Buncombe County has identified various needs in the areas of infrastructure, housing, and economic revitalization. Some of the comments submitted to the state from Buncombe County include:
- Housing: Ensure distribution of money is based on data showing how Helene affected housing.
- Infrastructure: Define what projects are eligible for specific categories such as communications resilience, flood mitigation, and emergency sheltering.
- Economic revitalization: Include funding for small business grants and agriculture recovery.
Commissioners approved sending their comments to the state and the next step will be review by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in April. You can learn more here.
State relief funding
Commissioners approved a budget amendment after receiving $494,409 from the state’s Department of Health and Human Services. The state money will be used to cover some of the money the County used for Disaster Food and Nutrition Program (DSNAP), support recovery efforts by the County’s adult and child welfare systems, and provide various operational costs. You can view the budget amendment here.
For more information or to view the agenda, go to www.buncombecounty.org/commissioners. To view this or any Board of Commissioners meeting, visit www.facebook.com/buncombegov.