Asheville launches Temporary Activation Program, increases rental assistance and begins park rebuilding design process

City Manager Deborah Campbell and staff announced several municipal recovery initiatives: a Temporary Activation Program (TAP) for community‑led beautification projects on public property, an increase in city rental assistance funding shared with Buncombe County, and the start of design procurement to rebuild storm‑damaged parks on Azalea Road.

Campbell described TAP as a mechanism for community organizations and volunteer groups to propose temporary activation and beautification projects on public land in flood‑impacted areas, with examples including wildflower seating along the French Broad River Greenway and landscaping at Gibson Creek. The city said TAP is intended to coordinate with debris removal and damage assessments necessary for FEMA reimbursement and may evolve to identify broader partnership opportunities. The city directed applicants to ashevillenc.gov/tap for application materials.

Campbell said the City of Asheville authorized an interlocal agreement amendment at the May 13 city council meeting to add $135,074 to the county rental assistance program; that increase brings the city’s total contribution to rental assistance to $1,759,074 since the storm and the program has served 649 low‑income households to date.

The city also issued a request for qualifications (RFQ) for design services to rebuild storm‑damaged parks and infrastructure on Azalea Road, seeking a design team to prepare plans and cost estimates informed by community engagement; the RFQ page is publicinput.com/azalearecovery and the city expects to engage a design team this fall.

Campbell said the city has reopened many parks and greenways in phases based on inspections; fully open sites include Amboy Riverfront Park and others, while Richmond Hill Park and some French Broad River Park sections remain closed while debris removal and safety work continue.