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Helene survivors in FEMA hotels will be included in Asheville-Buncombe homeless data this year

Emily Ball, the city of Asheville’s homeless strategy division manager, speaks at a Continuum of Care meeting Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.
Felicia Sonmez
Emily Ball, the city of Asheville’s homeless strategy division manager, speaks at a Continuum of Care meeting Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025.

People living in hotels funded by FEMA after Hurricane Helene will be included in Buncombe County’s homeless count this year.

An Asheville city leader said Wednesday individuals who lost their homes and are sheltering in hotels paid for by FEMA will be included in 2025’s Point-in-Time Count. The annual count of people experiencing homelessness in Asheville and Buncombe County will take place Jan. 28 and Jan. 29.

Emily Ball, the city of Asheville’s homeless strategy division manager, said at a Continuum of Care board meeting Wednesday night that including those who lost their homes in a disaster is in accordance with federal regulations.

“We have a heavy amount of that happening in our community right now with FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program,” Ball said. “So, that program is continuing to decrease in capacity over time, but that will be an important inclusion for us in the Point-in-Time Count this year.”

The Transitional Sheltering Assistance Program has been extended multiple times in Western North Carolina and is currently set to expire Jan. 25. It remains unclear how many people will still be in FEMA hotel rooms during the Point-in-Time Count.

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FEMA has previously said more than 3,000 people remain eligible for the transitional sheltering program. Statistics on the number of individuals in Buncombe County were not immediately available.

The data from each year’s Point-in-Time count helps inform local and national understanding of homelessness. It also plays a role in federal funding decisions and initiatives such as emergency housing vouchers.

Last year’s count identified a total of 739 unhoused people in Asheville and Buncombe County. Ball said the figure represents the most accurate count to date due to a new methodology that will be used in this year’s count as well.

The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care is a planning body that works to build a community-wide response to homelessness. The group was formed last year in response to recommendations made in a report by the National Alliance to End Homelessness; this will be the first year that it is overseeing the Point-in-Time Count process.

Each year, the city and county rely on volunteers to help conduct the count. Unlike last year, the meeting place for volunteers this year will be Harrah’s Cherokee Center in downtown Asheville.

This week, the City of Asheville released the schedule below for individuals interested in volunteering:

Schedule Overview:

Tuesday, January 28, 2025: Street Canvassing

  • Launch from the Harrah’s Cherokee Center Banquet Hall (87 Haywood Street)
  • Volunteers gather at 3:30 p.m.
  • Street canvassing occurs from 4:00 – 7:00 p.m.
  • Teams of 2-3 volunteers include at least one person with experience
  • Teams walk or drive to cover high-traffic areas and corridors of Buncombe County

Wednesday, January 29, 2025: Street Canvassing + Location-Specific Teams

  • Launch from the Harrah’s Cherokee Center Banquet Hall (87 Haywood Street)
  • Volunteers gather at 9:30 a.m.
  • Street canvassing of the same geographic areas from Tuesday night from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
  • Teams also gather information from service locations:
    • AHOPE Day Center (7:45 -11 a.m.)
    • Haywood Street Congregation (10 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
    • ABCCM Crisis Ministries (Downtown, South, and Hominy Valley – 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.)
  • Campsite outreach (varied times) - Led by outreach professionals

Felicia Sonmez is a reporter covering growth and development for Blue Ridge Public Radio.
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