It has been a long road to short-term rental regulation (STR) in Buncombe County.
For months, the county Planning Board tried to figure out how to deal with local properties rented through websites like Airbnb and VRBO. In April, the group decided a vote postponed on the matter. At yesterday’s Buncombe County Commission meeting, commissioners tasked a new group of residents with finding a solution.
The eleven-member committee, called Ad hoc committee for short-term rentalswill work through November to present recommendations to county commissioners.
As in many places across the country, public opinion is divided, with some people claiming STRs have created affordability problems while others defend their right to use their properties as a source of income.
County commissioners defined the roles of the 11-member group: four real estate professionals, one short-term rental owner/operator, one side business owner, one general community member, two housing attorneys and two planning board members.
About 110 people have applied for membership in the committee, according to the district’s statement. List of applicants. At a county commission meeting earlier this month, members narrowed the list down to 15 applicants, who were interviewed by board members last week. None of the selected committee members indicated on the application form that they were tenants.
“I just want to express how much I appreciate the level of detail and thought that people have put into their motions,” Newman said at yesterday’s meeting. “Obviously a lot of people in our community have been thinking a lot about this really important issue and there are a lot of different perspectives. And I think a lot of people recognize that it’s not an easy issue, but one that’s important to the future of our community.”
The committee will begin its work in September and October and present its recommendations to the county planning committee in November. The planning committee will then present its recommendation to the county commission in December.
The community members selected for the committee and the expertise they represent include:
- Matt Allen – Real Estate Professional; Director of Professional Development and Government Affairs at the Local Board of Realtors
- ME Gray – Real estate agent for 23 years
- Matt Lutz – Broker and Real Estate Agent at Greybeard Realty, Affordable Housing Developer, Mid-Term Rental Owner
- Jay Gerlach – Former Professor of Political Science and Public Affairs at Western Carolina University, currently a real estate agent with Dwell Realty Group
- Kit Molina-Nauert – Short-term rental owner/operator
- Angelica Cote – business owner, former city employee, has rented properties as a former Airbnb host and Section 8 landlord
- Chris Joyell – Director of MountainTrue’s Healthy Communities Program, affordable housing advocate, land use advocate, former member of the Buncombe County Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee
- Andrea Golden – Affordable housing advocate, Emma Community resident who helped draft the Emma Community Plan
- Candice Matelski-Brady – Community Member, Homeowner, Public Administration PhD Student
- Nancy Waldrop – Chair of the Planning Committee, former real estate agent
- Kenneth Kahn – Vice Chair of the Planning Committee, Member of the Woodfin City Council
Commissioners Brownie Newman and Parker Sloan will also serve on the committee as non-voting members.
Do you have further questions about the status of short-term rentals in Buncombe? Read our Full Guidewhich answers frequently asked questions on the topic.
ABCCM receives $1 million for Transformation Village
A local non-profit organization receives a $1 million grant to provide housing for women and mothers recovering from substance abuse. Commissioners voted unanimously to accept state funds on behalf of Asheville-Buncombe Community Christian Ministries (ABCCM). Earlier this year, ABCCM announced plans to expand its Transformation Village, a transitional housing facility for single women and children.
The money, part of a Community Development Block Grant, will support the construction of a four-story building with 64 housing units, 32 of which will be for women and mothers with children recovering from substance abuse. ABCCM held a groundbreaking ceremony for the project in July, Mountain Xpress reported.
Other delicacies
- Buncombe is expanding its composting business. As part of a four-point consent agenda, commissioners approved $146,880 for the construction of a composting plant at the district’s landfill. The money comes from unused funds from the district’s waste management. The facility is being used for a pilot project for compost processing.
- The Commissioners held a public hearing and unanimously approved the List of values 2025This document sets forth the county tax rates, value ranges, and guidelines for assessing property at market value in Buncombe County.
- Vic Isley of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority gave a presentation that included the latest numbers on the economic impact of tourism. According to the presentation, visitors’ contributions contributed $2.97 billion to the local economy in 2023, including $901 million for overnight stays, $787 million for food and beverages and $541 million for retail, among other spending categories.
Every first and third Tuesday, the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meets at 5 p.m. at 200 College Street, Room 326 in downtown Asheville. See the full recording And agenda of the meeting on 20 August.
