Manheimer Asks: Leverage Revenues for Affordable Housing Tax Credits?
Before awarding over $1.6 million in tax abatements to a developer of 29 affordable housing units, Asheville's Mayor Esther Manheimer asked if it wouldn't make more sense to let the developer build market-rate housing, collect the taxes, leveraging the revenues for affordable housing tax credits.
City of Asheville Diverts Funds Meant for the Poor
According to a local watchdog group called WNC Citizens for Equality, the City of Asheville transferred hundreds of thousands of public money meant for legal help for the needy to a private organization linked to Vice Mayor Sheneika Smith.
Employee Dismissal Hearing Allows No Defense Witnesses
In more than seven hours of testimony, during a grievance hearing, former employees of the city of Asheville were not allowed to present witnesses.
‘Code for Asheville’ Cashing In on Cause Celebre
Speaking during public comment at the last Asheville City Council meeting, regular Jonathan Wainscott described what was going through his mind. During the previous meeting, he watched what appeared to be a staged power play, but with nobody taking credit or offering an interpretation of the events.
Lawsuit Forces Asheville to Withdraw from Scholarship’s Racial Focus
The City of Asheville rewrote a number of scholarships designated for specific racial groups.
DOT to Fix Damaged “No-Mans Land” Road
Last week, the Tribune reported on a damaged road that neither the City of Asheville nor the NC Department of Transportation wanted to claim. Just a few days later, the Tribune learned that repairs will begin imminently on the road.
Helping the Poor with Committees and Plans
Winter is coming, the homeless population remains at record levels and the City of Asheville is sitting on hundreds of thousands of federal dollars disbursed to aid the disadvantaged and dispossessed with housing. The funds are being held up, for approximately a year, to give the city time to come up with a plan, with public listening sessions, to help decide who should receive funding.
A Road in “No Man’s Land”
The gap in the road is about 15 to 20 feet in width. Neither Asheville nor DOT wants to claim it.
Silence Sometimes Speaks Volumes
As a reporter, I ask a lot of questions. Silence often speaks louder than words.
Group Sues City, Citing ‘Racism’
A group of Asheville citizens are accusing the City of Asheville of “race-based practices” in connection with taxpayer monies it recently bestowed on two Black nonprofits.