Asheville – On Friday, January 26, Congressman Chuck Edwards, Eleventh District, brought together six key community leaders at the Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Ferguson Auditorium, to discuss the causes and potential solutions to address the increasing prevalence of homelessness in Buncombe County and the surrounding area.
Estemed Panel Members
On the panel were Rev. Scott Rogers, Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM); Mr. Michael A. Woods, Western Carolina Rescue Ministries; Murphy Mayor Tim Radford; Cpt. Jonathan Brown, Community Engagement Division, Asheville Police Department; Emily Ball, Manager of Asheville Homeless Strategy Division; and Hendersonville Mayor Pro Tempore Lyndsey Simpson.
This summit had a different feel. It seemed that everyone was excited to finally have collaboration. Edwards asked each panelist specific questions and later led a Q&A.
Captain Jonathan Brown
When asked, “What specific initiatives or programs have you implemented to foster positive interactions between law enforcement and the homeless population?” Cpt. Brown, APD, replied, “We want to establish a value system in our organization where we value that person that we’re interacting with, then you’re able to go out and provide a sense of compassion to that person. Being able to recognize where they’re at and not add to that crisis is important. Once we’re able to establish some form of relationship, then we can start sussing out some of the core issues that we’re dealing with—a person that’s maybe just hungry or needs a place to stay? Then we can start facilitating solutions to those more immediate problems.”
Murphy Mayor Tim Radford
Mayor Tim Radford surprised the audience with the homeless issues even a smaller, more rural town like Murphy is experiencing. Mayor Radford said, “We’re definitely seeing a rise in homelessness in Murphy. It boils down to an affordable housing issue.” Radford explained that local ministries helping the homeless in a huge surrounding area bring them to Murphy, an overnight shelter. He continued, “Our shelter does a great job, but they don’t have the resources to meet the demand. I would like to see more shelters, and every community should take care of their own population.”
Michael Woods, Rescue Mission
Woods, Executive Director of the Western Carolina Rescue Mission, shared their successful approach in transforming lives. The Joshua Program allows shelter seekers to stay inquiry-free for three nights. Woods explained, “During those nights, they sit down with a rescue director and put together a plan.” This documented plan with measurable goals determines their stay duration. Since implementing this, over 83% of sheltered individuals, both men and women, are engaged in work or school daily. Woods also highlighted the challenge faced by those with $24,000 in savings but struggle to find housing despite stability and personal growth. Their mission is to provide love and support for people to thrive.
Emily Ball, City of Asheville
Emily Ball, manager of the Asheville Homeless Strategy Division, discussed the concept of Continuum of Care. She explained that it is a federal framework that allows local communities to collaborate in establishing plans, making decisions, implementing initiatives, and measuring their effectiveness. Ms. Ball stated, “There’s an array of stakeholders that are involved in service delivery, none of whom can give any direction to the others.” She expressed concern that although there are many service providers, they often operate in different directions, lacking streamlining. Implementing Continuum of Care would require collective effort, but it would provide a platform for stakeholders to come together and make collaborative decisions.
Rev. Scott Rogers, ABCCM
Executive Director Rev. Scott Rogers discussed the programs implemented by ABCCM, emphasizing their inclusive coalition of 300 diverse congregations and over 5000 volunteers. He highlighted three core principles: the importance of loving and respecting every individual, empowering them with choice, and equipping them with necessary skills to address the underlying causes of homelessness. By providing information, skills, and access, ABCCM enables individuals to fulfill their potential and achieve their goals. Rogers recognized the challenges faced by the average homeless person, who may experience numerous significant losses within a year, hindering their ability to function. Thus, ABCCM aims to assist individuals in stabilizing their lives.
Hendersonville Mayor Pro Tempore Lyndsey Simpson
Simpson addressed the issue of affordable housing, referencing a study by the North Carolina Housing Coalition. The study revealed that 44% of Henderson County renters and 46% overall in the western part of the state struggle with monthly rent payments. Additionally, 25% of Henderson County households spend 30% or more of their income on housing. There is a significant gap between housing costs and employee wages, with fair market rents increasing by 69% in the past five years. In 2024, a fair market rent in Henderson County is $1680 per month, requiring an hourly wage of $30 to $31 or an annual salary of $67,200. Simpson emphasized the impact on the local economy, which relies on manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and tourism. Despite employers’ efforts to improve wages and benefits, the housing shortage poses challenges in recruiting and retaining employees, including for the city of Hendersonville itself.
Solutions may take a while to come, but everyone was hopeful that this was the start of relationships that can help.