North Carolina Construction News staff writer
The City of Asheville is moving forward with recovery efforts after the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, hosting a series of public meetings to create a Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) plan. This plan will allocate $225 million in federal funds to address the most urgent recovery needs, with a strong focus on construction and rebuilding efforts.
Community input is key to shaping this plan, which includes projects in three main areas: Housing, Economic Revitalization, and Infrastructure. All of these areas will require significant construction work.
Asheville residents and industry stakeholders are invited to review the Draft Action Plan and share their feedback. The public comment period will run from March 4 to April 3, and the plan will be available on the Asheville Recovers website. Comments can be submitted online.
“Recovery is a long-term effort, and the needs will continue to evolve,” said James Shelton, Community Development Division Manager. “We’ll revisit and update the Action Plan regularly to ensure we’re staying responsive and strategic throughout the process.”
The following public meetings are scheduled to gather input:
- Housing Recovery: March 19, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville, Banquet Hall
- Economic Revitalization: March 24, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at Radical Hotel, Golden Hour Restaurant
- Infrastructure Repair and Rebuilding: March 26, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm at AB Tech, Ferguson Auditorium
This $225 million grant will support a wide range of rebuilding projects, from road and utility repairs to housing development and commercial revitalization.
The final Action Plan will be presented to the Asheville City Council on April 8 for approval, and then submitted to HUD for final approval by April 21. Once approved, recovery programs will begin, marking the start of a long-term effort to rebuild Asheville’s communities.