June Newsletter: Sustainable Tourism & Affordable Housing Solutions

Tourism is one of Asheville’s longest-standing economic engines. Our small city attracts more than 10 million visitors per year — and while this fuels our local economy, it also strains our infrastructure and magnifies existing disparities. 

The rapid growth of short-term rentals, for example, drives up the cost of living and pushes workers to the outskirts of town, where they have fewer opportunities to participate in the community and civic life. 

So how can we harness tourism as a positive force for Asheville residents? First, we should recognize the city's premier destination status as a community asset, to be managed with the ongoing participation of residents and local government in collaboration with the expertise of tourism sector business leaders. 

The conversation around tourism has become highly polarized, and too often fails to engage folks who experience its negative impacts the most. Thrive Asheville will address this divide with a process we call the Ideas to Action Leadership Forum. In a constructive, data-driven dialogue among community leaders over nine months, we will identify a shared set of facts, innovative solutions, and endorse a change agenda. 

Together, our community will be better equipped to ensure that more residents benefit from tourism and that our community is better able to protect the environment on which we all depend.

Learn more about sustainable tourism here.

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) collects the occupancy tax paid by travelers at overnight commercial lodging establishments, like hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, and vacation rentals like VRBO and Airbnb.

Overseeing Explore Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau, the TDA also ensures that occupancy taxes are invested according to state law, which mandates that 75% of the revenue goes toward tourism advertising, marketing, public relations, and group sales plans.

The TDA faces frequent criticism from Asheville residents and organizations, some of whom believe a larger share of occupancy tax dollars should go to fund local initiatives such as affordable housing. But TDA president and CEO Vic Isley argues that marketing cuts could spell disaster for the future of Asheville's tourism industry.

Eager to share your thoughts? The TDA's next public meeting will be held virtually on Wednesday, June 30, 9 a.m. Agenda items include the authority's proposed budget for fiscal year 2022 and updates from community tourism projects. Visit their website for the full agenda and to register.

If you've been following the Finding Home project, you know obstacles to affordable housing drive inequality in Asheville. But here's the good news: when we come together as a community, we can find solutions to complex problems.

Thanks to community input, Thrive Asheville and our partners have identified strategies for ongoing investment in housing at both the city and county levels — for folks seeking shelter, pursuing home ownership, and everyone in between. Watch this video to learn more about the concrete steps we can take, together, to achieve affordable housing in Asheville.

At a June 15 meeting of Asheville City Council's Housing and Community Development Committee, council member Antanette Mosley objected to city plans for a mixed-income housing development at 319 Biltmore Ave. Instead, she contended the land should go to the city's reparations program for Black residents.

"This land is particularly appropriate given its location. It's located in areas or near areas that were historically African American communities," Mosley said. "Lee Walker Heights is there, White Fawn Drive, Buchanan, Southside, Asheland Avenue, East End, what used to be Mountain Street, that whole area was an African American community."

While no decision was reached at the meeting, Mayor Esther Manheimer says she plans to meet with Mosley and Vice Mayor Sheneika Smith to further discuss the concept.

Read the full story from the Asheville Citizen Times here.