June 25, 2026

City Introduces Unified Design for French Broad Riverfront Parks Recovery Project

Following six months of extensive community collaboration to rebuild after Tropical Storm Helene, the City of Asheville is introducing a unified design concept for the French Broad Riverfront Parks Project, synthesizing thousands of resident voices into a single, cohesive vision. 

How to View the Design

The community can view the design concept through several channels:

• On-Site: Informational banners will be posted along the greenways and throughout parks along the French Broad Riverfront. Printed take-home versions will also be available at Asheville Parks & Recreation community centers. 
• Digitally: View a video presentation or overview plans on the project web page, featuring an open comment window.
• Public Meeting Presentations: The project team presented the design concept at a joint meeting of the People and Environment and Infrastructure recovery boards, as well as the Policy Finance & Infrastructure Council Committee, on Tuesday, June 23. These presentations are available to replay on the City of Asheville’s YouTube channel.

Next Steps: Focused Engagement

In September, the City will host additional input opportunities to focus on optimizing specific elements rather than altering the broader programming layout. In the meantime, the project team continues to develop and refine the design plans.

The design phase is planned to last into early 2027 and will be followed by a phased construction approach on a timeline that is to be determined. Public access will be maximized throughout the duration of the project, allowing as many amenities as possible to be open for public use. 

Reflecting the Community’s Voice

Following catastrophic flooding from Tropical Storm Helene in 2024, the City launched a multi-phase community engagement effort to shape the future of the parks and recreation system along the French Broad River. The process began in late 2025, where residents shared their foundational vision and needs for the recovery area. These insights directly informed three distinct design concepts released in February. Both engagement phases drew feedback from thousands of community members via open houses, focus group sessions, pop-up events, and online surveys that have shaped the unified concept.

Small Business Recovery Grants Are Open

Asheville small businesses impacted by Tropical Storm Helene can now apply for disaster recovery grant funding through two City-supported programs funded by the federal Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program.

The largest program, Asheville Recovers Together, is offering $14.6 million in grants to eligible businesses located within Asheville city limits. Grants range from $5,000 to $75,000 and are intended to help businesses recover unmet storm-related losses. To qualify, businesses must be located within city limits, have been operating before September 27, 2024, and be able to show financial losses tied to the storm. Applications opened June 15 and close July 14 at 12 p.m.

The City is also supporting the Optimist Ventures Disaster Recovery Accelerator, which offers eligible Asheville businesses up to $25,000 in CDBG-DR funding along with business coaching, recovery planning, mentorship, and technical assistance. Applications for that program are open through July 17.

These programs are part of Asheville’s broader economic recovery work and are intended to help small businesses cover storm-related costs such as payroll, inventory replacement, equipment repair, lease obligations, working capital, and other approved recovery expenses.

More Disaster Recovery Funding Shifted to Home Repair Program

Asheville City Council has approved an amendment to the City’s Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Action Plan that would shift $19.2 million to expand home repair and reconstruction help for homeowners impacted by Tropical Storm Helene.

The amendment increases total funding for the State’s Renew NC Single-Family Housing Program from $3 million to $22.2 million. The added funding is expected to support repairs or reconstruction for roughly 55 to 65 storm-damaged homes in Asheville.

The amendment moves $9.2 million from the City’s Affordable Multi-Family Housing Construction Program and $10 million from its CDBG-DR Infrastructure Program allocation into the single-family housing program. City staff said the change reflects community feedback and the urgent need to help homeowners get back into safe, stable housing while the broader recovery continues.

The amendment now goes to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for final review and approval. Once approved, the City and its recovery partners can move forward with the updated funding plan.

$9.5 Million Approved for Affordable Housing Development

Asheville City Council approved $9.5 million in federal disaster recovery funding in June to support the Terrace at River Hills affordable housing development, a 126-unit rental project that would add more long-term affordable housing in Asheville.

The funding comes from the City’s Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) Affordable Multi-Family Housing Construction Program, which supports housing projects that address needs worsened by Tropical Storm Helene and help expand Asheville’s affordable housing supply over the long term.

The development, proposed by Mountain Housing Opportunities and South Creek Development, includes a minimum 35-year affordability commitment and would serve households earning 20% to 80% of Area Median Income. Because the site is vacant and the project is positioned to move quickly if it receives Low-Income Housing Tax Credit approval, the City identified it as a strong candidate for funding.

This award builds on affordable housing funding approved by Council in May for District East Commons and 319-B Biltmore. Together, the three projects are expected to create 331 affordable rental units in Asheville.

Demand for this funding remains high. The City received 13 applications requesting more than $70 million to support nearly 1,500 proposed housing units, far more than available funding could cover.

Additional City Council actions on recovery for June

Asheville City Council approved several other recovery-related actions in June tied to storm damage repair, infrastructure planning, and recreation.

Council adopted the City’s FY2027 budget on June 9, including continued funding for storm recovery work and services that support Asheville’s long-term recovery from Tropical Storm Helene.

The budget includes a contribution to Buncombe County’s homeowner grant program, continued support for public transit service, and funding for core City services that remain central to recovery, including public works, transportation, water resources, stormwater, parks, and public safety. It also supports capital work related to housing, parks, transportation, and public safety infrastructure through voter-approved bond funding.

City staff said the budget was built to balance ongoing recovery needs with day-to-day service delivery and long-term financial stability.

At its June 23 meeting, Council approved more than $9.5 million in engineering and design work for landslide recovery projects across the city, along with design work for permanent roadway and sidewalk repairs in areas damaged by Tropical Storm Helene. These projects are intended to move long-term repairs forward and support safer, more resilient infrastructure.

Council also approved site work for a temporary skating rink at 50 Asheland Avenue. The temporary rink will provide space for public skating, youth hockey, and other recreation programs while long-term recovery work continues at Carrier Park as part of the French Broad Riverfront Parks Recovery project.

At its June 9 meeting, Council received a quarterly Helene Recovery update covering progress on major federal recovery funding programs, including FEMA Public Assistance, the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, and the City’s CDBG-DR recovery work.

Got Questions About Recovery? We’re Here to Help.

Whether you’re wondering about storm debris, housing support, infrastructure repairs, or upcoming projects — we want to hear from you.

• Email us anytime at AshevilleRecovers@PublicInput.com
• Or use the question box on our engagement hub at ashevillerecovers.org

Your questions help shape what we share next — so don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re committed to keeping you informed every step of the way.