Asheville City Council makes initial $2.1 million in reparations funding appropriation

Asheville -- City of Asheville Community News June 8, 2021

At their June 8 meeting, Asheville City Council voted to appropriate $2.1 million in proceeds from the sale of City-owned land at 172 and 174 South Charlotte Street to fund community reparations. A portion of this property includes land the City purchased in the 1970s through Urban Renewal of East End/Valley Street.

The Council action was aligned with a July 14, 2020 vote resulting in a Resolution supporting community reparations for Black Asheville, and this resolution will also fund the Reparations Commission to guide the initiative. 

Earlier in the current fiscal year, the City-owned property at 172 and 174 South Charlotte Street was sold to White Labs Inc. for approximately $3.7 million. In accordance with federal regulations, approximately $1.6 million of this total was reallocated for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) in March.

The remaining $2.1 million from the land sales proceeds has now been appropriated to fund community reparations in advance of the Juneteenth holiday June 19, 2021. 

It is anticipated that $200,000 will fund the Community Reparations Commission’s planning and community engagement process, leaving approximately $1.9 million in initial funding for reparations.