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Land of Sky: region needs over 34,000 housing units by 2029, committee hears
Summary
Jacob of the Land of Sky Regional Council told Buncombe County committee members the 2025 housing needs assessment estimates the region will need more than 34,000 housing units by 2029 — roughly 14,000 rental and 20,000 for-sale units — and that current pipeline and policy limits leave a large shortfall.
Jacob, a presenter from the Land of Sky Regional Council, told the Buncombe County housing committee that the 2025 regional housing needs assessment projects "we have over 34,000 units that are gonna be needed by 2029," including about 14,000 rental units and just over 20,000 for-sale units. He said the study updated prior work from 2015 and 2020 and used Census/ACS/Esri data plus stakeholder feedback.
The report, Jacob said, finds steady population and household growth across the Land of Sky region (roughly a 500,000-person population cited in the presentation) and that planned development — some 4,000 multifamily units and 434 for-sale homes pending permits — is heavily skewed toward higher-end units. He warned the current pipeline will not come close to closing the estimated shortfall and emphasized that the projected shortfall is driven both by population growth and by an existing lack of supply predating recent storms and the pandemic.
Committee members pressed Jacob on the study methodology and the drivers of the shortfall. Jacob said data sources and a small stakeholder survey (about 48 respondents) informed priorities but that the magnitude of the shortfall reflects long-term supply deficits. He recommended preserving existing stock while expanding production across a wider set of housing types and said the assessment will be used to shape local comprehensive planning and future policy work.
