Hendersonville residents describe housing squeeze as Mayor Barbara Volk outlines strategic plan

Residents of Hendersonville, North Carolina, described long waits, sharp rent increases and strict rental-application rules at a community forum, as Mayor Barbara Volk said the city has developed a strategic housing plan and is exploring options to expand housing at multiple price points.

At the forum, Noelle, a 24-year-old teacher, said she worked two jobs and still struggles to afford local rentals. “50% of my income goes to housing,” she said, and described apartments advertised at $1,300 to $1,500 a month that require applicants to document roughly three times the rent in income and to provide tax documents and pay stubs.

Courtney, who has lived in Hendersonville her whole life and works in food service, said rising grocery and housing costs left her family with no affordable purchase options in Henderson County. “So we are moving to South Carolina,” she said, adding the change will lengthen their commute and increase daily stress.

Jerry, who works at Mountain Deli Downtown Hendersonville, said the cost of living and rents have jumped dramatically in recent years, leaving many residents ‘‘working paycheck to paycheck’’ and worried about being priced out. He also noted a stigma around affordable housing that discourages public conversation about solutions.

Longtime resident Mildred Goodman recounted a home-repair episode in which a contractor replaced a roof, floors and kitchen elements after she lacked funds for repairs. She said the housing-assistance program that paid for the work was the first she had heard of and called the repairs a ‘‘real true blessing.’’ (Transcript used the phrasing “housing assistant”; this article uses the clearer term “housing assistance.”)

Mayor Barbara Volk said the city has been developing a strategic housing plan for several years and is ‘‘looking at a lot of different options’’ to encourage development across price ranges so workers, young families and retirees can remain in the community. ‘‘We have to try to balance growth with keeping things as much as possible the way people like them,’’ she said.

No formal votes or policy adoptions occurred at the forum. Speakers’ accounts highlighted practical barriers — high advertised rents, income‑screening practices and repair needs — that residents say are shaping decisions to leave the county or to endure long commutes. Volk said the plan is intended to address those gaps but did not specify a timeline or particular programs at the forum.