Council staff preview $22.2 million Helene recovery housing contract and riverfront demolition plan

Assistant City Manager Ben Woody previewed an amendment to the city's contract with Renew NC that would obligate $22,200,000 to support reconstruction or rehabilitation of houses damaged during Hurricane Helene. "This basically obligates the funding in the amount of $22,200,000 to support the reconstruction of houses or the rehabilitation of houses that were damaged during Helene," Woody said.

Woody also described a related contract to begin demolition of Helene‑damaged structures along the French Broad riverfront, but he cautioned that demolition timing is contingent on an ongoing permitting process. "There's a number of permits that need to be secured, federal level permits and not just City of Asheville permitting," Woody said, adding that "realistically, you probably wouldn't see any kind of actual demolition until the fall of this year." Council members did not take action during the briefing; the items are scheduled for formal consideration on the consent agenda at the upcoming council meeting.

Why it matters: the funding and demolition work are part of Asheville's coordinated FEMA recovery and local reconstruction effort after Helene. Staff said the contract moves the money into the program but several implementation steps remain, including securing required permits and scheduling demolition work to minimize public-safety and environmental risks.