[{"_1":2,"_123":-5,"_124":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99,111],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6533730,"mediaKeyId","3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1","parentId",3670851,"title","Staff recommends Urban Atlantic as master developer for Ferry Road; requests negotiations and MOU authorization on June 17","audioSeconds",1147,"startMs",2866000,"endMs",4013000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1&start=2866&end=4013","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1/thumbnail_2866000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6533730/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Staff-recommends-Urban-Atlantic-as-master-developer-for-Ferry-Road-requests-negotiations-and-MOU-authorization-on-June-17","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533730-8953207c9c594ab965cbbd4c76949b1a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770446994&Signature=REk1rg8YJrHwgMkamDTG0v5HTL25rDLkwQDaAdlgQ7jEfoAXo~NxthDOKRtoaHC78r5aCOyFPvGbNXzEe53oBMIYTA~VbC05M7Mh6PodS7qJL~2m3~hhp64eb9wEa174zNJKSbIBld4F447ftcdEHqNf26mtNGU2tpB8O3sm5LavY2xxc2vNOLiDBzvtdsAc4jypmciXkMm3gEKAGssW22VsGTo-byqe~k5Rfi8WqF2GFSi7qJYv9RU61NEF0oOQ6DL5BGUVayCOnKImnJ4vSuCRnmm-cX-HmrvluixEosojKtL3sdt3FVBsR~MeDXK4lyyNwGTJ0Rb9zyykUldmnA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Buncombe County, NC","date","2025-06-05T02:23:15.86Z","article","Buncombe County staff recommended Urban Atlantic as the county’s preferred master development partner for the Ferry Road property during a June 3 presentation to the Board of Commissioners.

Staff summarized the site history: the county acquired the property in 2020, public engagement identified priorities of conservation, affordable housing and recreation, and county staff and the Development Finance Initiative (DFI) at UNC Chapel Hill prepared a solicitation and evaluation after a prior delay caused by Tropical Storm Helene.

Two proposals were received and reviewed by county staff, DFI and Equinox (which completed the land-use work). Staff said Urban Atlantic’s submission demonstrated prior experience with mixed-income, mixed-use master developments and offered a timeline staff judged reasonable. Staff recommended authorizing the county manager to negotiate a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Urban Atlantic; the MOU would be a nonbinding document establishing responsibilities and milestones before a development agreement is negotiated.

Staff described the principal elements of Urban Atlantic’s proposal as presented: public conservation of roughly 72 acres on the site perimeter; about 530 rental units (including low-income housing tax credit buildings targeted to 30%, 50% and 80% area median income bands and 260 market-rate units); about 15 for-sale homes with a range of affordability targets; a central green, community amenities to be open to the broader public, and a site location reserved for a daycare or health clinic (no partner identified yet). The proposal assumed a total private-development cost of roughly $160 million and requested approximately $19 million of county funding; staff noted about $7 million of additional funding in the proposal depended on programs that may not be available in future years and described a potential funding gap near $26 million (about $84,000 per affordable unit in the gap calculation).

Staff explained Urban Atlantic proposed paying about $4.2 million for the market-rate land it would purchase from the county; land allocated for affordable LIHTC development would likely be made available via ground lease at a nominal cost. Staff warned the board the market is uncertain, funding sources may change, and public requirements (including tying public subsidy to low- and moderate-income households) would be specified in negotiated agreements.

The county intends to return to the board at the June 17 regular meeting to request authorization for the county manager to enter negotiations leading to an MOU and, ultimately, a development agreement. No development agreement or binding contract was executed at the June 3 meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Buncombe County Board of Commissioners | Briefing | June 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","County staff on June 3 recommended Urban Atlantic as the master development partner for the Ferry Road property, and asked the Board of Commissioners to authorize the county manager to begin negotiations leading to a memorandum of understanding.","taxTitle","Buncombe County, North Carolina","taxId",3914,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6533735,"Buncombe County staff propose clarifying and modernizing investment policy; changes headed to June 17 vote",474,2252000,2726000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1&start=2252&end=2726","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1/thumbnail_2252000.jpg","/articles/6533735/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Buncombe-County-staff-propose-clarifying-and-modernizing-investment-policy-changes-headed-to-June-17-vote","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533735-695a834b20ebb3e799a454c02b069042/orig.mp4?Expires=1770446994&Signature=gPy38BfU3HnAGvBi4FjY3z8cl53~Y3AmXNjX2eMRUILTXTEYsSn1LRDd89LpBDaDLods1cB5~x-oO6MDclK~a2mQYxcwkMhA9wpIwfesTywRiM3yY71wKFSHNOzGh1Ml-miiqeK-1p0godG07FvG~ViRi8xC02NIl6-YD3WZZ~xoDzad5x1Mi27ibvESX7NGlRZu9OLA7DsUxfTgwqujWCtJ8pCOeSbC~3KrjjJBlMbS9nQFVcJZjyecLdH7~ztORFm--vuVzt3Qsb1TzApo0cmSLQXrfkgmd-Dg-M7DbbHWaMqbX9oHYql~VOUcJ~cUQo-hxQUTsLlLygb~9A~M5A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Melissa Moore, a county finance staff member, briefed the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on recommended updates to the county’s investment policy at the June 3 meeting.

Moore said the policy was last adopted in 2020 and the recommended updates aim to modernize language (replacing repeated uses of “securities” with “investments”), define employee delegation where the policy referred to an “investment officer” (a role the county does not have), remove procedural detail from the policy text, and align collateral language with state guidelines.

More substantive changes include consolidating the separate 5-year maturity references into a single “maximum maturity” section rather than repeating it under each investment type, removing several total-portfolio percentage thresholds for state investments and certificates of deposit, and dropping bankers’ acceptances from permitted investments. Moore said the portfolio-percentage limits had at times restricted staff’s ability to place funds into higher-yield short-term CDs during recent market conditions.

Moore also said staff removed language referencing a specific market benchmark used for performance reporting because shifts in interest-rate conditions had made that benchmark less meaningful. She said downgrade-of-security language was already covered elsewhere in policy text.

Commissioners asked for more detail on the removed benchmark and the downgrade language; Moore said she would provide commissioners with the supporting notes ahead of the June 17 meeting. Moore said the recommended revisions will come back to the board on June 17 for formal adoption.

No formal vote was taken on June 3; the board requested the draft and supporting materials be shared with commissioners before the June 17 meeting.","Finance staff presented recommended edits to Buncombe County’s investment policy on June 3, including language clarifications, removal of certain portfolio percentage caps, updated collateral alignment with state guidance, and elimination of some performance-benchmark language. Staff will return a final draft for adoption at the June 17 meeting.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6533739,"Consultant: Helene’s economic damage concentrated in Buncombe County, recovery uneven",1486,118000,1604000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1&start=118&end=1604","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1/thumbnail_118000.jpg","/articles/6533739/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Consultant-Helenes-economic-damage-concentrated-in-Buncombe-County-recovery-uneven","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533739-dcb79560bf49e4165e1fc8412e4eb5d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770446994&Signature=Qm~KWiDvOUSFsNXVyaO83bP2QP-QdMO6XnlXF9BO-qzBH~CMWTy9S7Z9UCTSOeG76m~4zDYjyJjVVCMP9110PdZQoi1eJ3AVZkr33WjSSAEcoKtmMlpChnFPEpxGSuYUFtV6o0Uah6sF5oHCojX9CMqOEtQtaNK6rkKQ8rNy~zsQu8djkUYcsrsJy9UcXhN~Q25XZtSaa72KEuaeJ6XDyQVYENUc1yJW1ZDg1C5xt6AjdX4P9SPu3lZKE34Ac3VSp20OduPu5eoJPHAgxMTO3CdGuHN0qwRj52rtPsL7RdfgFGAyiLT0AArFMy~FUuUVN27QLptjGbgy9ofPceCR4g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dan Gerlach, a Raleigh-based economic consultant and former state budget and economic development adviser, told the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on June 3 that Tropical Storm Helene caused a concentrated economic shock in western North Carolina, with Buncombe County bearing a disproportionate share.

Gerlach said state Office of State Budget Management estimates placed about 53% of the storm’s statewide economic damage in a hatched 15-county area that includes Buncombe County. “I believe that estimate is closer to 95% of any kind of economic development damage that you could imagine,” Gerlach said, speaking by video to the commissioners.

Gerlach told commissioners he measured business losses three ways: physical capital losses (damaged buildings, inventory and equipment), lost revenue, and human-capital effects such as workers leaving the area. He said county-level measures show a sharp employment decline beginning in October and that Buncombe County still had roughly 3,000 fewer jobs — about 2.5% fewer — than a year earlier.

The consultant said losses were concentrated in leisure and hospitality, which he said was down about 2,400 payroll jobs year to year (about an 8% decline), while retail trade and manufacturing showed smaller changes. “If leisure and hospitality had held ground, you would be up employment,” he said.

Gerlach reviewed unemployment-insurance and disaster-unemployment-insurance (DUI) claims, saying regular UI claims rose from roughly 262 people in September to about 5,200 in November and that nearly 1,000 additional people were on disaster UI at one point. He noted the DMA-funded temporary sheltering and reconstruction work may have stabilized the situation but cautioned the recovery is incomplete.

Commissioners asked about comparable recovery examples and pitfalls elected leaders make. Gerlach pointed to Hurricane Matthew in eastern North Carolina and to federal and state recovery work but said no prior example matches Buncombe County’s situation. He advised officials to push agencies that received recovery funds to expedite funds to the West, to focus on housing and get “hammers swinging” in rebuilding, and to avoid presenting the community as a helpless victim when asking for aid.

Commissioner Lael Whitesides asked how to get grants (not loans) for small businesses; Gerlach said some legislative measures have included grants and that matching programs and targeted forgiveness tied to remaining open were possible mechanisms. Commissioner Sloan asked about analogs and lessons; Gerlach cited prior foundation and recovery work and emphasized the need to focus on housing and diversify the county economy. The chair thanked Gerlach for the briefing and commissioners followed with additional questions.

The consultant repeatedly cautioned that numbers and sector mixes could shift as markets change and that his analysis used survey-based labor-force measures and payroll reports as available. He recommended continuing demand-side measures to bring visitors and customers back to support hospitality employers and suggested workforce matching and promotion of summer and fall tourism.

The commissioners did not take a formal vote on policy during the briefing; Gerlach concluded by saying he would be available to answer further questions and that state and federal partners should be pressed to ensure recovery funds reach the west of the state.","Raleigh consultant Dan Gerlach told the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners on June 3 that the economic damage from Tropical Storm Helene was far more concentrated in western North Carolina than state estimates suggest and that recovery, especially in leisure and hospitality, remains stubborn.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6533721,"County awarded $225,000 state EECBG grant to install 180 kWh battery at 35 Woodfin; projected lifetime savings about $589,000",355,5668000,6023000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1&start=5668&end=6023","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1/thumbnail_5668000.jpg","/articles/6533721/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/County-awarded-225000-state-EECBG-grant-to-install-180-kWh-battery-at-35-Woodfin-projected-lifetime-savings-about-589000","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533721-f57e2c20393f421d5bd46e22847f7870/orig.mp4?Expires=1770446994&Signature=edXneOjN5tahGBZa1pxCLWEvSsgmk4bpn7BCHpQ3cDUNRTiySC2XfEEwn85zaROwZCEW77vBoD4yF17vQSY9IUbrPf-nhV7Zyg0hoeFsj0hNlTRj0n~NhfHkZpN9I09Z~3Hrc~Vfl7KTRc-mDU5xwTG~nX1znjdG5xyIN4R1Wpgi~tArzosaniqO1K3928TspBUyNVYFOsZJOiRzaG~DucMtmGoQ3pezcz5sHz~tIC29uXoayHsmEwKB1cgzeqVTwBDsAAym75rteJ4cRBjtMuCEKK1AW0Li0xTh0OUER766lQr4ghXHOQfGourNgj8vsBxe6dpGtQ7PudDmDGJDCw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Jackie Hempstead of the Buncombe County Office of Sustainability told commissioners on June 3 that the county received a $225,000 award from the North Carolina State Energy Office’s EECBG (Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant) allocation to fund the design and installation of an approximately 180 kilowatt-hour battery-storage system at 35 Woodfin.

Hempstead said there is no county local match for this award. The battery project originated in the county’s 2024 electrification feasibility study, which identified 35 Woodfin as a favorable site for battery storage. Hempstead said the county had already completed engineering comparisons of battery vendors and safety features to prepare a request for proposals.

The primary benefits Hempstead listed were increased operational energy-use flexibility, reduced demand charges through energy arbitrage (charge when wholesale energy prices are low; discharge during peaks), and the ability to pair batteries with existing solar generation to avoid exporting solar to the grid. Hempstead said the feasibility study estimates lifetime cost savings around $589,000.

Project specifics presented include approximate capacity (180 kWh) and that the county has until December 2026 to complete the project under grant rules. Hempstead said the initial battery recently installed at 40 Cox demonstrates a charging/discharging pattern that the county expects to replicate; the 35 Woodfin system is not currently designed as a resilience-only system but will be scalable if future needs require additional capacity.

Commissioners responded positively and noted the project will be on the agenda to accept the grant; general services and sustainability staff said additional behind-the-meter battery projects are on the capital plan though timing for further installations may occur in future budget cycles.

No county vote to accept the grant was recorded during the June 3 briefing; Hempstead said the grant acceptance will appear on an upcoming agenda and staff will proceed with RFP and procurement steps under the grant timeline.","Buncombe County’s Office of Sustainability said June 3 it received a $225,000 North Carolina EECBG grant for a roughly 180 kWh battery storage system at 35 Woodfin; staff said the project would improve energy flexibility, reduce demand charges, allow solar self-consumption, and has a projected lifecycle cost savings of about $589,000.",{"_33":112,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":113,"_41":114,"_43":115,"_45":116,"_47":117,"_49":118,"_51":119,"_53":120,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":121,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":122,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6533725,"Continuum of Care: Point-in-time count shows increase in unsheltered homelessness and demographic disparities; HUD funding changes announced",1115,4057000,5172000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1&start=4057&end=5172","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3670851-775f0e9e1ee630d73a3fae081b47b2d1/thumbnail_4057000.jpg","/articles/6533725/Buncombe-County/North-Carolina/Continuum-of-Care-Point-in-time-count-shows-increase-in-unsheltered-homelessness-and-demographic-disparities-HUD-funding-changes-announced","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6533725-05e9838a1fae5181759d166229a12821/orig.mp4?Expires=1770446994&Signature=cpirDo~iu7MOjIsuwKbDnIkAk2sbbZLtAwU1KSgDjEgPYl7MWCOB39PNYiFW75AE-eqw~AhbWSOSLzKaMiwOW6nGV67M1ga8armFCdBoeGfCJtDFSY185tgb05K1krjenwsstp07ApLBQtvq~L4RZcGckZ~zaI9hBjglkxKTG-ax~te41wpnoFH~-eRbMyhu3mz7pfNxpPCb-Pr9Lp6-Wc9EOQNVSjf-fSjCQg8taCuVETH01fynmsnh9Juw1B0BXZO-X5sQEipAB6K-m3hvhJtq6OrN-j82Hstot7Dk0VCMGm37ymlu9kOSqsxPqVUx4zHRrZkR3VLBPZPR-sD1kg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Lacey Hoyle, lead agency staff for Buncombe County’s Continuum of Care, presented a quarterly update to commissioners on June 3 that covered the 2025 point-in-time (PIT) count, HUD funding results, board and committee activity, and near-term planning.

Hoyle said the PIT count is a one-night snapshot (conducted the night of Jan. 28) of people meeting HUD’s literal-homelessness definition (emergency shelter, transitional housing or unsheltered). The county’s 2025 PIT count recorded 427 people in emergency or transitional shelter and 328 unsheltered, for a total of 755 individuals counted; transitional housing beds decreased by 93, largely because a veterans program lost capacity after flooding.

Hoyle said 116 of the 328 unsheltered survey respondents reported they became unsheltered because of Tropical Storm Helene. She also noted that FEMA’s Transitional Shelter Assistance (TSA) program had 1,548 people in hotels on the night of the PIT count; HUD guidance requires that the lead agency include those individuals in HUD submissions by applying demographic extrapolation, but Hoyle said the slides she presented do not include the TSA counts in the demographic tables shown.

Demographic disparities were evident in the PIT data: people identifying as Black or African American comprise about 6% of Buncombe County’s population (per 2024 ACS) but represented 17.6% of PIT respondents in 2025; American Indian/Alaska Native respondents were 0.6% of the county population but 2.1% of PIT respondents. The count also showed an increase in respondents reporting chronic homelessness and in self-reported serious mental illness and substance-use disorders.

Hoyle reviewed HUD CoC funding outcomes: overall CoC funding awards were slightly lower this cycle than last year (a national trend). Two Homeward Bound permanent supportive housing projects placed in tier 2 were not funded for about $290,000 total (roughly 17 households of capacity); the provider is pursuing other options. A new rapid-rehousing project for domestic-violence survivors received about $89,000, and a renewal for rapid rehousing for domestic-violence survivors received about $307,000; the City of Asheville received planning and HMIS funding.

Ho yur discussed organizational matters: the CoC board is recruiting for four open seats; the housing authority interim CEO is serving as a nonvoting liaison; a new shelter-planning work group will develop options for low-barrier shelter and may use ARPA and CDBG-DR funds; the board adopted a plan to compensate people with lived experience if funding can be identified. The CoC plans to adopt a three-year strategic plan on June 12 organized around four objectives including decreasing unsheltered homelessness and increasing exits to permanent housing.

Commissioners asked about shelter-bed utilization; Hoyle said some available beds go unused for reasons including program rules, client needs (pets, qualifications) and geographic barriers. The CoC is launching a shelter-planning work group this week to examine utilization and to design low-barrier shelter capacity. Hoyle said coordinated entry technical assistance from HUD has resumed after earlier delays and the coordinated entry work group will resume with TA to improve efficiency.

Commissioner Horton serves as a nonvoting liaison to the CoC board and Hoyle said she and the CoC will present the strategic plan for formal adoption next week.","Buncombe County’s Continuum of Care (CoC) lead reported on a June 3 update that the 2025 point-in-time count showed a rise in unsheltered homelessness and demographic disparities; the CoC also received HUD award notices with some reductions and one new project funded. The CoC is pursuing shelter planning and strategic-plan adoption.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Staff recommends Urban Atlantic as master developer for Ferry Road; requests negotiations and MOU authorization on June 17

Buncombe County staff propose clarifying and modernizing investment policy; changes headed to June 17 vote

Consultant: Helene’s economic damage concentrated in Buncombe County, recovery uneven

County awarded $225,000 state EECBG grant to install 180 kWh battery at 35 Woodfin; projected lifetime savings about $589,000

Continuum of Care: Point-in-time count shows increase in unsheltered homelessness and demographic disparities; HUD funding changes announced