Downtown Safety & Cleanliness
Downtown Safety & Cleanliness
Our community thrives on the ability to support a vibrant and welcoming downtown for residents, businesses, and visitors. In 2023, following an increase in concerns related to safety and clealiness conditions, the City of Asheville embraced a new approach to exploring, testing and refining strategies for ongoing and improved service delivery. A new Community Responder program, enhanced public space management and coordinated cleanup efforts are examples of how we worked across departments and with the community.
Updates
Regular newsletter updates on targeted Downtown Cleaneliness and Safety efforts were sent between June 2023 and November 2024. You can view those updates, along with regular reporting to the Downtown Commission at www.ashevillenc.gov/downtown.
Find updates on the rollout of the Downtown Improvement District here. Services are focused on enhanced cleaning, maintenance and hospitality.
Visit the above “Take Action” tab for recommendations on how you can contribute to a safe and welcoming downtown.
What We're Doing
The City of Asheville’s Downtown Safety Initiative to develop a sustainable approach to addressing community safety and cleanliness issues transitioned from a pilot initiative to an ongoing effort in July 2023. During the initial pilot period in May and June 2023, City staff continued standard operations while also tracking and testing actions that had potential to improve safety and cleanliness downtown. You can read more about the initiative on the "Summer 2023 Pilot Program" tab at the top of this page.
Services that continued following the Pilot Program in support of a safe, clean and welcoming downtown included:
Public Safety and Community Support
APD-prioritized coverage of downtown. The department regularly supplements downtown patrols and prioritizes coverage based on crime data. Updated crime data is available here.
Development and deployment of strategies to increase APD coverage and recruit new officers.
7-day/week security coverage by the Parks Department, with downtown parks being the top focus.
Continuation and expansion of the Community Responder Program (now known as AFD REST) More information is viewable here and on this dashboard.
Street outreach to engage with individuals experiencing homelessness through a contract with Homeward Bound.
Security coverage in City parking garages and parking lots (new service/contract initiated in in early 2024).
Improved systems of reporting and tracking repairs needs for downtown street lighting. More information is viewable on this dashboard.
Increased proactive enforcement of nuisance issues within downtown through the Development Services Department’s Compliance Division.
Cleanliness
City crews provide 7-day/week trash and recycling collection, including 9 full time Public Works employees devoted to downtown cleanliness. Additional contracted services are utilized for litter pick up, vegetation control, pressure washing, biohazard cleaning and improved response to litter hot spots on an as-needed basis.
Purchase and installation of a 24/7 downtown restroom facility (completed in November 2024).
Addressing Homelessness
Responding to unsheltered homelessness continues to be a high priority for the City
Recent implementation of a Continuum of Care model for overseeing the areas homeless services (following recommendations from the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH).
Coordination with service providers to develop and fund new shelter and housing capacity through participation in the Continuum of Care.
Learn more about the City's efforts to address homelessness here.