Asheville Faces Exciting Changes with Former Ramada Inn Redevelopment
Asheville, North Carolina, is buzzing with news about the proposed redevelopment of the former Ramada Inn property. In a fresh turn of events, the developer, Friendship for Affordable Housing, has reconfigured its plans, aiming to create 50 units of permanent supportive housing for veterans and another 50 units of affordable housing for individuals and families earning at or below 50% of the Area Median Income. This plan marks a significant shift from the original proposal, which would have dedicated all 100 units to permanent supportive housing.
What’s Old is New Again
Originally, the developer’s plan was to allocate all 100 units for permanent supportive housing aimed at both veterans and the general population. In that initial proposal, they sought $1.5 million from the city to support services managed by Homeward Bound for the first few years. Homeward Bound had its own stake in the game, as their resource development director, Jessie Figueroa, noted. She stated, “If they would have done the 50 units of permanent supportive housing, we would have had a program manager there and case managers to provide support.”
However, under the new proposal, Homeward Bound may no longer be involved, as the absence of additional permanent supportive housing means no local funding is required from the city. This has left many wondering how to proceed with supportive services needed for those experiencing homelessness.
The City’s Perspective
Emily Ball, the manager of the homeless strategy division, voiced the city’s perspective on the revised plan. She explained that while the new approach to housing is crucial, both permanent supportive and affordable housing are essential. “We don’t have anything that’s configured in this specific way, but it’s not really an outlier concept,” she mentioned. Indeed, this project would uniquely combine these two necessary forms of housing—a first for Asheville.
Even with the proposed changes, both Ball and community members echo the sentiment that there is still a strong need for permanent supportive housing in Asheville. If this plan goes through without addressing those needs, it could create further challenges in the already struggling system that aims to provide for those dealing with homelessness.
Challenges Ahead
For this new proposal to take off, however, it faces a significant barrier: a deed restriction the city placed on the Ramada property during its previous sale. The city secured a deed restriction specifying that 100 units of supportive housing be allocated for chronically homeless individuals. To move forward with the new plans, city council action is required to modify the deed restriction. The developer aims to change the original specification to allow for 50 units of supportive housing and 50 units of affordable housing.
The developer is set to close the deal with the current property owner, Stormfield Capital, on October 1, contingent upon the modification of the deed restriction. As the process unfolds, the city’s Housing and Community Development Committee is scheduled to get updates at a presentation on Tuesday morning, followed by a city council meeting on September 24 to consider action on the modification.
A Community Focused Future
The blend of affordable housing and permanent supportive housing is a step in the right direction for Asheville. It’s a practical approach to tackling the pressing issue of housing insecurity and homelessness while also giving veterans and low-income residents a shot at improved living conditions.
As the discussions and decisions heat up in the coming days, the residents of Asheville are hopeful that these changes will lead to a brighter, more inclusive future for everyone. The outcome of this redevelopment could set a powerful precedent for how the community addresses housing challenges going forward.
