Asheville HCD hears plan to shift CDBG‑DR funds to single‑family repairs amid a projected $12M gap

Asheville City’s Housing and Community Development Committee discussed a staff proposal on Dec. 16 to reallocate part of the city’s CDBG‑DR housing funds toward single‑family home repairs after staff reported unexpectedly high demand and costs in the state‑administered Renew NC program.

Elma King, CDBG‑DR program manager, told the committee that the City’s CDBG‑DR action plan currently allocates $31,000,000 to housing: $3,000,000 for single‑family home repair reimbursement to the state and $28,000,000 for affordable multifamily construction. "The current gap is at least $12,000,000," King said, citing application data and state guidance on reconstruction averages.

Why it matters: Renew NC treats repairs up to $50,000 as rehabilitation but classifies damage above $50,000 as reconstruction, which carries coverage up to $450,000 per unit. Because many applications are exceeding initial estimates and some reconstructions are costly, the City is weighing how to direct finite resources across single‑family and multifamily needs.

King and Community Economic Development Director Nikki Reed said Renew NC is administering the single‑family program on…