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A digital newsletter header featuring a dusk aerial view of downtown Asheville and Pack Square Park, filled with people gathered for an event. The text reads “RECOVERY NEWS – Updates on Helene recovery from the City of Asheville,” with a white icon of Asheville City Hall centered above the title.

February 26, 2026

A teal and navy blue monochromatic digital illustration in a flat, layered style. In the foreground, a diverse group of five people in safety vests stand around a large table, reviewing architectural blueprints and maps. The background features a winding river with a broken sign on the left and a construction crane and excavator on the right. Various icons are interspersed throughout the scene, including a large checkmark in a circle, a clipboard with a checklist, a government dome building, and a snowy landscape with a utility truck.

Shape the Future: Riverfront Recovery Design Workshop

The City of Asheville is moving into the next phase of the French Broad Riverfront Parks and Azalea Parks and Infrastructure projects. After gathering community feedback last fall, our project teams have translated your priorities into visual design concepts—and now we need your input to narrow them down.

Join us at the Community Design Workshop:

  • When: Saturday, February 28 | 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. (Drop-in style)

  • Where: A-B Tech Ivy Building (9 Genevieve Circle)

  • What to expect: View artistic and technical visualizations of proposed park layouts and infrastructure repairs. Project teams will give short presentations at the top of each hour (French Broad) and the half-hour (Azalea).

  • Family-Friendly: Children’s activities, light refreshments, and Spanish language interpretation will be provided.

Can’t make it in person? You can still weigh in! A digital presentation and feedback survey will be available online from February 28 through March 16. Visit the official project pages at ashevillenc.gov/projects to view the designs and share your thoughts.
More details about the design workshop

Gemini said A monochromatic digital illustration in various shades of teal and navy blue, showcasing three overlapping circular frames that highlight different recovery sectors. The left circle features a large tree with people holding hands around it and a map pin; the center circle displays a water dam with large pipes and a river; the right circle shows a group of houses, a shield with a checkmark, and a construction worker holding a document. Below these circles, a diverse group of people sits around a large conference table, reviewing a topographical map. Floating symbolic icons throughout the scene include a gavel, a handshake, a wrench, and snowflakes, all set against a backdrop of mountains and pine trees.

City Council Actions: February Recovery Updates

At the February 24 City Council meeting, officials provided key updates on sources of federal recovery funding and moved forward with several infrastructure and housing initiatives.

The City is actively working to maximize cost recovery by "layering" various federal funding sources, including FEMA Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation Grant Programs (HMGP).

  • Project Applications: The City has submitted eight projects totaling $415 million in potential funding to the state for the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

  • Active Repairs: Recovery work continues at the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium (roof repairs), while design work is underway for infrastructure at 8 Rivers Place and Butler Village.

  • Water Resiliency: Council approved a contract with Chonzie, Inc. to perform predictive modeling and service line verification to ensure the long-term safety of the City's water infrastructure.
Watch the February 24 Council meeting

Gemini said A monochromatic digital illustration in various shades of teal and navy blue, showcasing three overlapping circular frames that highlight different recovery sectors. The left circle features a large tree with people holding hands around it and a map pin; the center circle displays a water dam with large pipes and a river; the right circle shows a group of houses, a shield with a checkmark, and a construction worker holding a document. Below these circles, a diverse group of people sits around a large conference table, reviewing a topographical map. Floating symbolic icons throughout the scene include a gavel, a handshake, a wrench, and snowflakes, all set against a backdrop of mountains and pine trees.

Recovery Boards: February Milestones

Asheville’s recovery-focused boards met throughout February to refine the city's long-term resilience strategy, from infrastructure funding and urban forestry to housing equity.

Infrastructure 

The Infrastructure Recovery Board focused on bridging a significant $900 million gap in total post-disaster needs.

  • North Fork Water Security: The board recommended an $89.7 million project for a permanent pre-treatment system at North Fork to ensure continuous water delivery during high-turbidity events.

  • CDBG-DR Strategy: While $225 million has been allocated via HUD, these funds are being identified as the "funding of last resort" to implement high-level green infrastructure and community amenities.

People & Environment 

This board highlighted urban canopy health and the formalization of community support networks.

  • Urban Forest Master Plan: Preliminary survey data from over 1,000 residents identifies "heat reduction" as the top community priority for trees.

  • Resilience Hub Mapping: A new data-driven initiative with Thrive Asheville and Fern Leaf is underway to map physical locations and informal networks that provided aid during the storm.

  • Adaptive Capacity: A new survey has been launched for hub leaders to assess the city’s existing "adaptive capacity," which will eventually feed into a public GIS asset map for future emergency coordination.

Housing 

Discussions centered on expanding home repairs and removing the administrative "red tape" facing vulnerable residents.

  • Home Repair Expansion: The city is adding $715,000 in bond funds to its contract with the Asheville Regional Coalition for Home Repair (Archer), which already has 126 households in the pipeline.

  • Addressing Barriers: Board members raised concerns regarding complex profit-and-loss forms that act as barriers for cash-paid workers and residents in legacy neighborhoods trying to access aid.

  • State Policy Wins: Following local feedback, the state increased the RenewNC rehabilitation cap from $50,000 to $100,000 per property, allowing more homes to be repaired rather than fully reconstructed.

  • New Funding Opportunity: Staff announced a $10 million Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for shovel-ready affordable housing projects. The application round closed February 25.
City of Asheville Recovery Boards website

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.
Visit the Engagement Hub
Sent on behalf of City of Asheville, NC by PublicInput
70 Court Plaza, Asheville NC 28801
 
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