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Council committee hears $3.7M in CDBG‑DR planning recommendations; members press for actionable outcomes
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Summary
Staff recommended four CDBG‑DR planning projects — economic development plan, Deaverview master plan, comp‑plan/UDO update, and emergency shelter development — and outlined allocations and remaining balances; council members pressed for clearer deliverables, connections to the single‑family home repair funding, and a calendar for HCD and council action.
City staff presented a package of Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) planning recommendations to the Asheville City Council policy and finance committee, proposing four projects aimed at housing, economic recovery and disaster resilience.
Jamie Matthews, assistant to the city manager and deputy recovery coordinator, said staff recommends funding an economic development strategic plan (~$176,000), a Deaverview master plan (reinvestment for about 52 acres), an update to the comprehensive plan and Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) (about $1.2 million, completion Nov. 2028), and an emergency shelter development plan. Matthews said that after administration and compliance costs there is about $2.7 million left for planning implementation and that if these allocations move forward roughly $665,000 would remain for future planning efforts.
Council members asked detailed questions about scope and outcomes. Several members said the community has “plan fatigue” and urged staff to prioritize measurable, implementable deliverables rather than high‑level reports. Emily Ball, who led the emergency shelter discussion, said the request is primarily for contract project‑management capacity — “it’s a job” — to push prior planning work to implementation, coordinate site feasibility, identify funding mixes and manage complex stakeholder engagement.
Members asked whether the comp‑plan/UDO work could be reimbursed by Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funds if the state awards them; staff answered that some elements could be HMGP‑eligible but others would not, meaning CDBG‑DR would still be needed for portions of the project. Council also pressed staff on how these planning allocations intersect with the single‑family home‑repair program. Staff said they have told state program staff the city intends to fully fund the home‑repair program but that the total Asheville cost is still being determined through state evaluations; staff committed to provide a full funding picture at the upcoming HCD meeting.
Next steps: staff said updates will go to HCD on May 5, and multifamily housing award recommendations will come to council May 12; any substantial amendment to reallocate CDBG‑DR funds would follow public notice and a council vote likely in June.
The committee did not vote on the planning recommendations; the manager, per the action plan, is responsible for final decisions but staff said they will return with tighter scopes, timelines and expected deliverables before any procurement or contract award.
