Public data can't answer that yet. What's published is a one-night count: 824 people were counted as homeless across Buncombe County on February 10, 2026, up 69 from the year before.
Washington gave Asheville its own $225 million rebuilding grant. As of June 30, 2026, the city reported $92.5 million of it committed to projects, $1.2 million drawn down and none yet recorded as spent. State lawmakers set aside more than $1 billion for Helene recovery in 2025, and Council had approved $219.5 million in Helene budgets by September 2026. Each is a different stage of money, so they can't be added together.
The City lifted its system-wide boil water notice on November 18, 2024, after what its recovery hub calls 53 days without potable tap water following Tropical Storm Helene. In October 2025 the City said both treatment-plant watersheds remained vulnerable and that FEMA-funded temporary pretreatment, costing about $6 million a month, was still running at North Fork and DeBruhl while permanent fixes are designed.
Does Asheville have enough police officers and crisis responders?
In July 2026 Asheville had 191 of its 232 authorized sworn police positions filled, so 41 were vacant. Its main non-police crisis team, the Fire Department's REST, was set up with 8 positions (5 firefighters and 3 civilians), and in July 2026 police and REST began a 60-day pilot that sends an RHA Health Services mental health professional on some crisis calls.
How well are Asheville's buses and streets working, and what is the City spending on them?
Asheville Rides Transit (ART) carried 1.42 million rides in FY 2024-25 with 61% of trips on time, and the City's average Pavement Condition Index was 53.9 that year. For FY 2026-27 the Transit Services Fund is budgeted at about $16.1 million, including an $8.43 million General Fund subsidy, and voters approved a $20 million transportation bond in November 2024.
What does the City spend, and what does it charge in property tax?
Council adopted a $275.8 million FY 2026-27 budget, including a $187.5 million General Fund. After a new state law made Buncombe County use pre-revaluation property values, Council set the City property tax rate at 50.78 cents per $100 of assessed value on July 15, 2026, a rate the City says raises the same revenue as the 37.69 cents adopted on June 9.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
City Council Minutes, 2026-09-22Consent agenda, item G
Resolution Number 26-194 - Resolution authorizing the City Manager to accept the N.C. Dept. of Transportation - Integrated Mobility Division for Federal Transit Administration Section 5303 Metropolitan Planning Program annual funding in the amount of $189,839 for Fiscal Year 2027, and enter into any agreements necessary for grant acceptance This motion was seconded by Councilwoman Turner and carried unanimously.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Why it matters: Contracts are how the City pays companies and groups to do work.
City Council Minutes, 2026-09-22Consent agenda, item I
Resolution Number 26-196 - Resolution authorizing the City Manager to execute a three-year General Services Agreement with Raynetta and Company Enterprises, LLC for professional facility cleaning services at eight municipal facility locations This motion was seconded by Councilwoman Turner and carried unanimously.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Why it matters: Contracts are how the City pays companies and groups to do work.
City Council Minutes, 2026-09-22Consent agenda, item D
Resolution Number 26-292 - Resolution authorizing the City Manager to enter into a contract with the Asheville City Schools Foundation for the 2026- 2027 In Real Life After-School Program for Asheville Middle School students This motion was seconded by Councilwoman Turner and carried unanimously.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Why it matters: This moves the city's contribution into a county-run assistance program that can pay housing bills directly for households in poverty.
City Council Minutes, September 22, 2026Resolution No. 26-193
The County will contribute $290,000 and the City will contribute $75,000. ... Eligible households may, in their discretion, choose to have grant funds applied directly to the allowable bill that best supports their needs, such as housing or utility bill costs. ... Councilwoman Roney moved for the adoption of the Consent Agenda. This motion was seconded by Councilwoman Turner and carried unanimously.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
City Council Minutes, 2026-09-22Consent agenda, item B
Resolution Number 26-189 - Resolution authorizing the Water Resources Department to accept $403,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding for replacement of single-family residential properties lead and galvanized iron pipe service lines categorized for replacement per Environment Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule Improvements This motion was seconded by Councilwoman Turner and carried unanimously.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
City Council Minutes, 2026-09-22Consent agenda, item C
Resolution Number 26-190 - Resolution authorizing the City Manager to renew and fund an additional year of an existing contract with Peek Travel, Inc. for software licensing and maintenance for the WNC Nature Center Ticketing, Registration and Point of Sale This motion was seconded by Councilwoman Turner and carried unanimously.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
City Council Minutes, 2026-09-22Consent agenda, item E
Resolution Number 26-192 - Resolution to permit the possession and consumption of malt beverages and/or unfortified wine at the Lovely Asheville Annual Fall Festival on October 10 and 11, 2026 This motion was seconded by Councilwoman Turner and carried unanimously.
Passed with the routine items, in one vote, without discussion.
Why it matters: An application asks for money. The City gets it only if the grant is awarded.
City Council Minutes, 2026-09-22Consent agenda, item H
Resolution Number 26-195 - Resolution authorizing the City Manager to apply for the N.C. Dept. of Transportation (NCDOT) Public Transit Apprenticeship Grant Program and if awarded, authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with NCDOT to fund the Apprenticeship for Fiscal Year 2028 and to expend funding on the local match or balance of project costs This motion was seconded by Councilwoman Turner and carried unanimously.
From the City of Asheville's YouTube channel. Nothing loads from YouTube until you press play.Open on YouTubeJump to a part of the meeting (6 times listed by the City)
These times and titles are the City's own, copied from the video description.
Streets and transitI-26 Connector$1.8 billionFunding, approximate, per NCDOT, Sep 10, 2026Construction, partly
Helene recoveryHelene disaster recovery grant (CDBG-DR)$225.0 millionAllocated by HUD, Jan 16, 2025Construction, partly
Helene recoveryNorth Fork water plant and dam recovery$260.0 millionState's FEMA application for the permanent fix, as reported to Council, Jun 23, 2026Construction, partly
Budget and taxes2024 bond program$80.0 millionAuthorized by voters, Nov 5, 2024Funded, partly
WaterMills River water plant upgrades, Phase 2$26.9 millionConstruction contract, including 15% contingency, May 14, 2024Construction, May 23, 2025
Public safetyFire Station 9 in Oakley$1.1 millionDesign contract, before contingency, Jul 29, 2025Funded, partly
HousingReimagining Deaverview$399,800Master plan contract, not to exceed, Sep 8, 2026Funded, then taken back, Oct 22, 2024
Streets and transitART bus network redesign$299,877Study contract, not to exceed, Mar 11, 2025No stage confirmed yet