ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — How does Asheville make room for more affordable housing without changing the character of its neighborhoods? And would the city be better off having employees perform some work now handled by private contractors?
Those were among the questions raised during an Oct. 29 Asheville City Council retreat as members began developing a five-year plan to guide city spending, services and priorities.
The discussion touched on housing affordability, neighborhood preservation, staffing challenges and whether the city is doing enough to turn its goals into results.
The retreat, facilitated by representatives of the UNC School of Government, was an early step in a planning process expected to continue through summer 2027.
Balancing housing and neighborhood character
One discussion centered on whether some of Asheville’s goals could work against each other.
During the discussion, a participant questioned whether the city’s goals of expanding affordable housing and preserving neighborhood character could sometimes conflict.
The concern was that residents frequently oppose development proposals because they believe those projects would change their neighborhoods.
Another participant suggested that environmental protection could complicate those decisions further.
The discussion raised a larger question: How should Asheville decide which priorities take precedence when they conflict?
No decisions were made about how to resolve those competing interests.
Concerns about displacement also surfaced, with one participant questioning whether preventing displacement should be included in Asheville’s long-term vision.
Later in the retreat, one group proposed respect, dignity and belonging as core city values, with an emphasis on protecting against displacement and creating opportunity for all.
Those ideas were part of a brainstorming exercise, not policies adopted by council.
Should the city do more work in-house?
The retreat also raised questions about whether Asheville should reconsider its use of outside contractors for some city services.
During a group exercise, participants suggested looking at whether certain jobs could be handled by city employees instead of private companies.
Mowing contracts were specifically mentioned.
One participant suggested the city could test bringing some contracted work in-house and evaluate the results rather than commission another study.
The idea was to try a different approach, see whether it works and make adjustments based on the results.
The discussion also touched on staffing turnover, employee capacity and whether Asheville could learn from how other cities handle similar work.
Participants raised the possibility of comparing the costs of outsourcing with those of performing the work in-house.
No decision was made to change existing contracts or bring additional work in-house.
Survey identifies challenges inside city government
The retreat included a review of surveys completed by council members and city staff.
The UNC School of Government facilitators presented themes drawn from the responses, identifying several strengths, including dedicated and knowledgeable employees, public engagement and the city’s ability to adapt to challenges.
But the surveys also pointed to problems, including limited staffing and resources, competing priorities, unclear goals and city departments that don’t always work well together.
The responses raised concerns about decision-making and gaps in the city’s ability to collect and use data to evaluate its operations.
Other challenges identified in the surveys included economic uncertainty, state and federal policy changes, climate change and political pressures.
During the retreat, participants expressed frustration with previous planning exercises that produced plenty of ideas but didn’t always lead to agreement about what mattered most.
One participant raised concerns about the council generating a long list of suggestions without reaching agreement on priorities. Another emphasized the importance of actually ranking those priorities rather than running out of time before that part of the process.
The new strategic plan is intended to help council and staff establish clearer goals, decide where resources should go and measure whether the city is making progress.
Whose voices are being heard?
Participants also discussed whether the city’s public engagement efforts adequately reflect the broader community.
One group raised concerns that small but vocal groups can have an outsized influence on decisions.
Rather than simply seeking more public comments, the group suggested the city should work toward broader participation that better represents Asheville residents as a whole.
The idea was presented as a possible strategy, not a finding that the city’s current engagement process is failing.
What happens next?
Council members spent part of the retreat developing draft statements describing what Asheville should look like in the future and what residents should expect from city government.
Affordability, public safety, homelessness, reliable infrastructure, environmental protection and government accountability were among the recurring themes.
One proposed vision described Asheville as an affordable, safe and inclusive city that protects its distinctive culture and natural beauty while improving quality of life.
Other proposals emphasized resilience, fiscal responsibility, compassion and a city government that follows through on its commitments.
None of the statements were finalized.
The UNC School of Government facilitators outlined a schedule for completing the planning process.
City staff were expected to participate in a similar retreat and help refine the proposed vision, mission and values statements in November.
Council is expected to revisit those statements and begin developing specific priorities and goals in January 2027.
Public and employee feedback is planned for February, with possible council approval of the goals and guiding statements in March.
Staff would then spend the following months developing specific objectives, implementation plans and ways to measure progress, with that work expected to continue into the summer.
The goal is to give council a clearer way to decide where city resources should go — and give residents a way to judge whether those decisions are producing results.