Letter in Opposition to the Re-Allocation of CDBG-DR Funds

Asheville For All sent the following letter to Asheville City Council and the city’s Community Development Division, in response to a call for public input.

The letter is in opposition to a proposal that would see the city reallocate federal disaster-related funds. The money, which is now earmarked for affordable multifamily housing construction, would be used for single-family home repair instead.

You can read about the issue in a recent Blue Ridge Public Radio article. Asheville City Council is slated to vote on the matter on June 23rd.

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Dear Asheville City Council and Community Development Division,

We write in opposition to the reallocation of recovery funds from subsidized multifamily housing to single-family housing repair.

We wholeheartedly sympathize with the difficulty in allocating scarce funds.

Nevertheless, we believe that GAP AVL (Government Accountability Project) and others have made a strong case that keeping the money earmarked for multifamily housing is a more effective use of funds.

Too often, when we talk about housing needs in Asheville, we substitute short-term wants for long-term needs. We are pleased to see nonprofits throughout the city lining up behind a sound solution that will aid the city’s sustainability well into the future.

Asheville For All Lead Organizers