# Helene Housing Recovery Board – October 21, 2026

The City of Asheville Helene Housing Recovery Board met on October 21, 2026. The board unanimously approved its prior meeting minutes and discussed post-Helene homelessness, shelter capacity, and housing needs. Staff presented the $2 million CDBG-DR Housing and Economic Security Support Services program, which will be delivered through one or more competitive notices of funding opportunity (NOFOs) to subrecipient partners. Awards are planned at $250,000 minimum and $2 million maximum; eligible applicants include nonprofits and public agencies operating within Asheville city limits or serving city residents. Potential activities include housing navigation, case management, emergency shelter services, and limited rental, mortgage, or utility assistance. The city will not pay beneficiaries directly, and funding is subject to federal eligibility and time limits, including up to six months for emergency subsistence payments and up to 12 months for certain facility operating costs.

No contracts or grants were awarded, and the board took no spending action. Members discussed how to balance longer-term housing-navigation infrastructure with immediate homelessness prevention, diversion, and rental assistance, and encouraged staff to coordinate the CDBG-DR funds with other available programs. The discussion noted a separate $6 million, three-year private Right at Home initiative and ongoing funding gaps for emergency shelter and other services. Staff will continue stakeholder engagement and develop the competitive funding opportunity; the board’s feedback emphasized making complementary funding streams work together and addressing urgent needs as well as longer-term system capacity.

**Jurisdictions:** sled
**Topics:** Grants & Funding
**Published:** October 21, 2026

### Sources
- [Helene Housing Recovery Board – October 21, 2026](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Sj1783Y0qs) - City of Asheville