ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — The Asheville-Buncombe Continuum of Care has released its 2025 Point-in-Time Count data, revealing the impact of Tropical Storm Helene on homelessness in Buncombe County.
Each year, Continuums of Care across the country conduct a Point-in-Time Count in late January to assess homelessness and report findings to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The Asheville-Buncombe CoC completed its count on Jan. 28, 2025, with the help of 135 volunteers, including 60 CoC members.
The count identified 755 people experiencing homelessness in Buncombe County, a slight increase from 739 in 2024. While the total was similar, the data highlighted significant effects from Tropical Storm Helene:
- The number of unsheltered individuals increased by 50% from 2024, totaling 328 people. Of those, 35% (116 individuals) reported becoming homeless because of the storm.
- The number of people in shelters or transitional housing decreased by 18%, partly because of storm damage at the Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry’s Veterans Restoration Quarters.
- Federal guidelines require that the count include people staying in hotels or motels paid for by an agency. As a result, the final number reported to HUD will include 1,548 individuals housed through FEMA’s Transitional Sheltering Assistance program, bringing the total to 2,303 people without permanent housing because of Helene.
The CoC shared the findings at its March 26, 2025, meeting. Meeting materials are available online.
The Asheville-Buncombe CoC was established on Feb. 29, 2024, and its board is expected to finalize its first strategic plan this spring. Membership is open to anyone interested in addressing homelessness in Buncombe County. More information is available on the city’s Continuum of Care project page.
The CoC has designated the city of Asheville as its lead agency for strategic and administrative support through the Homeless Strategy Division.