2026 Asheville Candidate Questionnaire Responses

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Business as Usual
  • Consolidated Growth
  • Dispersed Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement?
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville?
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
  • Coverage
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • Yes – I support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • There’s such a balance to all of this. I’m a voracious learner. That means listening is a tool for learning. Learning gives you energy and the ability to build connections, to share and make collaboration. When you put your energy into that, leading becomes easy. It’s finding your shared values, finding what’s important, and putting forward a vision, not as one, but as many.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • Mostly car and car seats. I’m a once-a-month bus rider even though I live between two bus routes. I’m a former bike messenger, and I have lived outside of what’s ‘bikeable Asheville’ for the last 7 years, much to my dismay. I have a deep love and respect for biking, and would prefer it to be the primary mode of transportation, but that requires a radical reshifting of how we organize cities.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • I’m interested in having roads that kill less people. I know it sounds particularly severe. But for me, that’s where equitable starts. Our streets are designed in such a way that people die from them, especially because there’s a racial component to who dies on Asheville’s streets. Moving people from one place to another has to start with safety, regardless of the mode of transportation.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • Here’s the nuance time: I’m absolutely in favor of transit oriented development. I think that, when possible, we should strive for that goal. If we want to reduce emissions, if we want to meet climate goals, if we want to actually make our transit budget work for us to reduce congestion, improve our downtown, we have to make that a priority.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • No
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • Since 2008, we’ve hit our affordable housing goal once (500/year). In 2023, but came nowhere close in 2022 or 2024. In 2016, there was a goal of 2800 affordable units by 2022. We hit around 250. But we’ve added a massive influx of market rate housing over the past 5 years, and rent went up and they’re not able to be rented on the wages in Buncombe County. That disparity given demand, creates displacement.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • Density without affordability is just gentrification. My platform focuses on fast-tracking 100% affordable MMH. By financing through a city backed credit union and structuring them as co-ops, we can remove MMH from speculative markets. When we do this, we can use this housing for displaced families, current residents, and local workers first, ensuring that new density goes to our neighbors first with an actually affordable long term housing cost.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Is it usable? Can people walk, bike, transit, is the usage of it in the best interest for the people. Is it safe? Can my kids be there? Is there a sidewalk? What’s the speed limit?
    
    I’m sure there’s another one, but the only, truly complete street I can think of is Wall Street.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • Sidewalks. Period. It’s sidewalks. I have a friend who uses a scooter in West Asheville, and his biggest problem (besides the hills), is the lack of sidewalks that are functional. Otherwise he’s often on the side of the road with minimal protection. He’s not agile like me, and he’s significantly more at risk, especially with the speed cars travel in town.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • I’m probably closer to 75/25 ridership to coverage. But I think that that balance can (and should) change as our needs change and ridership/density patterns change.
    
    But seriously: Fare box recovery is under 4% for ART. I think it’s time we actually had the conversation on it being a public service, like snow removal, instead of it being a revenue generator. That’ll improve dwell time, usage, and is a net benefit for the city and tourism.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • Actually do them. We’re a city filled with pride over the mountains we live in. We stay here because it’s home, and preserving our trails and greenways isn’t just part of our identity, it’s a vital part in our resilience against climate change and environmental destruction. They’re part of our safety, our joy, our home. Greenways aren’t a ‘nice to have’, they’re a comprehensive part of transportation here. They’re part of our recovery.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • It’s so tricky. We’ve seen how good trails and greenways spike property values and displace the communities they’re meant to serve. We must be thoughtful about pairing investment with anti-displacement policies similar to the ones I propose, and ensure that affordable housing is preserved. These networks are part of a long term plan of reducing our car-dependence, and without starting it, we won’t ever get there. It just has to be balanced.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • First of all, the priorities are ACTUALLY backwards. $52m for housing, $31m for Revitalization, please and thank you.
    
    Data shows ~$35m in damage is from ~400 flood damaged homes. Shifting funds to repair rebuilds SFH’s in danger zones seems unwise. We should fund land swaps to move victims into new, co-operative housing units per my housing plan on higher ground instead of rebuilding. New & safe housing for those impacted most.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • I think the MO is pretty good for how they’re organizing this, open house, survey, pop-up events at impacted neighborhoods, discussion groups… to try to navigate enthusiast groups. Flood Resilience as design? Absolutely critical for the long term. This won’t be the last flood in our lifetime. The long term strategy I think connecting pieces of parks is ideal as a neighborhood connector.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • I listen by showing up, asking specific questions, and staying grounded in what residents experience, not what sounds good in a meeting. I learn by doing the homework, reading the details, and testing ideas against what the city can actually implement. I lead by turning input into action, setting clear goals, and delivering results with transparency and accountability.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • Most days I travel by car. Earlier in my life I relied on the bus until about age 24, so I know what it means when transit is the difference between opportunity and being stuck. That experience shapes my view that mobility is access to work, school, health care, and daily life.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • Equitable transportation means a city where everyday riders are safe, not just the fearless few. Build connected protected bike routes on real corridors, safer intersections, traffic calming, and quick build fixes on high crash streets, starting in underserved areas. Treat every repaving as Complete Streets. I rode the bus until 24, so I know mobility is access.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • I selected Consolidated Growth because it is the most fiscally responsible and the most livable. Concentrating growth where infrastructure already exists lowers per household costs for roads, water, sewer, and stormwater. It also makes transit, sidewalks, and bike networks work better because destinations are closer, reducing traffic and vehicle miles traveled.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • Yes, with a clear condition. Housing growth can prevent displacement only if we build enough homes fast enough and pair that growth with affordability protections. More supply reduces upward pressure on rents, but without permanent affordability tools and anti displacement strategies, growth can still price people out. The strategy has to be both. Build more and lock in protections so existing residents benefit.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • Yes, with guardrails. By right duplexes to quadplexes can expand options and add gentle density without massive redevelopment, which helps relieve rent pressure. It should be paired with clear objective standards, faster permitting, and infrastructure alignment, plus affordability and anti displacement tools so existing residents benefit.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Complete streets means designing every project for safe access for all users, walkers, people with disabilities, transit riders, cyclists, and drivers, not just moving cars fast. It is a project standard. Every resurfacing should include safer crossings, continuous sidewalks, ADA ramps, better bus stop access, and connected bike routes. Merrimon is a place we can do better with safer speeds and crossings.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • One barrier is inconsistent implementation. Asheville has a Complete Streets policy, but safety still gets decided project by project. Without clear standards and accountability, we get gaps, missing connections, and designs that do not feel safe for everyday walkers, riders, and people using assistive devices. Safety elements should be the default, not debated from scratch each time.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • I prefer the ridership concept. Frequency and reliability are what make transit usable for working people, students, and seniors. In a resource constrained system, concentrating service on the strongest corridors creates a dependable core network that more people will actually use. We should pair that with targeted solutions so areas with less fixed route frequency still have access through strong connections and first and last mile options.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • My vision is trails and greenways as transportation and public health infrastructure, not just recreation. They should connect neighborhoods to schools, jobs, transit, parks, and commercial areas with safe crossings and ADA access. To move it forward I would prioritize gap closing connections, coordinate funding and right of way, build segments in connected phases, and fund maintenance so the network stays usable.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • Yes. Greenways can support affordability by lowering transportation costs and improving access to jobs and services without requiring a car. We should be cautious about displacement. Public investments can raise nearby property values, so pair greenways with anti displacement and permanent affordability tools. Also avoid disconnected segments and fund maintenance so the network stays safe and usable.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • Yes – I support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • Yes, ONLY if the data shows the fastest way to keep the most families housed is filling documented insurance and FEMA gaps through ReNew NC. The shift must be tightly targeted to income qualified owner occupied households with verified gaps, include anti flipping guardrails, and include a parallel plan that preserves enough affordable housing construction so renters are not sacrificed and the long term affordability pipeline is not broken.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • What stands out is that the outreach is framing riverfront parks and greenways as recovery infrastructure, not just amenities, with a clear demand for resilient rebuilding and strong walking, biking, and greenway connections. It also stands out that Director McGirt flagged an engagement imbalance, with a few special interest groups showing up heavily, and a need to elevate underrepresented voices.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • I lead by listening first and acting with intention. My approach is grounded in direct engagement with residents, small businesses, and community organizations, especially those most impacted by policy decisions. I value data, lived experience, and accountability. Good leadership means adapting when something isn’t working and focusing on outcomes, not just plans.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • I live in West Asheville, and when we travel to West Asheville, the River Arts District, or downtown, we often walk or bike when weather allows. After nearly twenty years in New York City, walkability became central to how I experience a city. Walking connects us to neighbors and small businesses and makes gaps in safety, access, and connectivity easy to see.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • Equitable transportation investment means building systems that work for people who rely on them every day. That includes safe sidewalks, reliable transit, bike infrastructure, and streets that protect pedestrians, seniors, and people with disabilities. My perspective comes from living car-light and working with people who depend on transit and walkability.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • Consolidated growth best aligns housing, transportation, infrastructure, and climate resilience. Focusing growth near jobs, services, and transit reduces sprawl, lowers infrastructure costs, and supports walking, biking, and transit. It improves affordability by adding housing where people already live and work while protecting rural areas and watersheds.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • When housing supply does not keep pace with demand, displacement increases. Thoughtful housing growth can reduce pressure on rents and prices while creating more options across income levels. Growth must be paired with anti-displacement strategies and preservation of existing affordable housing. Location matters. Housing near jobs, transit, and services keeps people connected to opportunity. Delay and inaction worsen displacement.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • Allowing missing middle housing by right is key to expanding housing options and affordability. Duplexes, triplexes, and quadplexes were once common in Asheville and add gentle density without changing neighborhood character. By right rules reduce cost and uncertainty for homeowners and small builders. These homes support walkability, transit, and efficient infrastructure. Missing middle housing is not the only solution, but it is necessary.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Complete streets mean designing roads for everyone, not just cars, including people who walk, bike, use transit, or mobility devices. That means safe crossings, connected sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and slower speeds where people live and work. We are getting it right in parts of downtown and some newer corridors, but too many streets still have gaps or unsafe crossings. Streets should feel safe and intuitive, not like an afterthought.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • A major barrier is prioritizing vehicle speed over safety and access. Too often, projects favor cars instead of the people using streets every day. Another challenge is siloed decision-making, where transportation, land use, and public works are not aligned. We need clear safety-first standards and accountability. Streets reflect values, and people should come first.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • I support a ridership-focused network because frequent, reliable service is what makes transit usable for daily life. Transit that connects major destinations and runs often builds trust and increases ridership. Coverage still matters for equity, seniors, and people with limited mobility. The goal is a strong ridership backbone paired with targeted coverage solutions so transit is dependable and easy to use.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • Greenways and trails should function as transportation, recreation, and resilience infrastructure. They connect neighborhoods, offer safe alternatives to driving, and improve quality of life. My vision is a connected network that serves everyday needs, not just recreation. Progress means closing gaps, linking housing, schools, and jobs, coordinating across jurisdictions, and centering equity and community input.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • Yes, greenways can support affordability by reducing transportation costs and improving access to opportunity. However, we must be careful about displacement and rising land values near new investments. Greenway planning should be paired with housing protections and affordability strategies. Infrastructure should benefit existing residents, not price them out. Thoughtful sequencing and policy alignment matter.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • Both affordable housing construction and home repair are essential to preventing displacement after Hurricane Helene. Repair funding must expand so vulnerable residents can stay in their homes. Shifting most funds away from affordable housing risks worsening long-term shortages. The right approach is a balanced recovery that supports repairs, protects affordable housing, and seeks additional funding rather than a zero-sum choice.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • What stands out is the level of community engagement and the recognition that recovery must be both ecological and social. The process has centered listening, transparency, and long-term resilience. The focus on floodplain function, access, and public benefit reflects lessons learned from Helene. It is encouraging to see recovery framed as an opportunity to do better, not just restore what was lost. That mindset is essential moving forward.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • I’m naturally an introverted person, so when I speak it is because I have something to say. I believe in listening before forming opinions and always being ready to challenge assumptions. I’ve also learned though years of travel, learning foreign languages and being wrong on occasion that ideas can come from everywhere and everyone. I prefer to lead from the middle making sure goals are clear.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • To be honest with a family of four, we get around mostly by car. When I have the opportunity, I prefer to get around by bike on Asheville’s wonderful greenways. Having dedicated greenways has increased my connection with community and nature compared to other cities I’ve lived in where my commutes were underground.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • Having lived abroad in Asia, Europe, and Australia, I’ve been a commuter by foot, bicycle, bus, subway, metro, tram, streetcar, trolley, and tuk tuk. Equitable transportation starts with affordable housing dispersed throughout so that those who rely on public transportation have commutes of similar duration to their more affluent neighbors. It also means redundancy in our transportation network.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • Our zoning is not consolidated right now. The current restrictive zoning downtown and along our urban corridors pushes development and lower income residents further out into the county, to other towns, or out of our region altogether. This in turn is eroding our tax base, taxing our infrastructure, increasing traffic, decimating our agricultural and cultural infrastructure and making our region more susceptible to catastrophic flooding.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • Our housing market grows increasingly unaffordable because our housing stock has not kept up with demand. More housing is needed at all levels, but especially work force and market rate, to balance the supply with demand and lower costs. Without more housing, existing homes and neighborhoods will be bought up by out of town capital, second home buyers, and investors and our urban core and legacy and historic neighborhoods will hollow out.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • Missing middle housing reforms are needed yesterday! They need to be implemented along with programs that lower the barrier to entry for exiting Asheville residents to improve their homes. This includes pre-approved ADU designs, nonprofit legal and design services as well as job training, service learning, land banking, and private public partnership programs. This is the most equitable way for native Ashevillians to join in our city’s growth.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Asheville’s street system is a mess and the city does not do enough to improve the situation. Complete streets is a concept in urban planning we have not achieved locally. Aside from a few streets in the wealthy neighborhoods that get close, such as Kimberly Ave and Evelyn Pl., we have a lot of work to do. Given this uphill battle, our highest return investments are in our greenway network, street tree planting, and sidewalk improvements.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • Complacency. There is a strong and vocal minority that fear any change that when combined with the general malaise amongst many city employees and a shirking of responsibility combines to be a unnecessary impediment to simple solutions and best practices.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • I believe that ridership should be prioritized. If you can’t rely on your bus and your routes, you cannot rely on public transit. In that implementation though, we should increase our coverage to farther locals and at off peak hours with supplemental on demand micro transit and transit nodes such as park and rides. Redundancy is required for a transit system to be resilient. Micro transit adds that redundancy to our current buses only system.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • Global experience, professional research, and the wisdom of my little boys. I’ve biked and hiked through Shanghai streets, Austin Greenbelts, Sri Lankan Tea plantations, and Appalachian back roads, but Jeff Speck sums it up: putting cars in their place, mixing land uses, getting parking right, enhancing public transit, and protecting pedestrians. Nothing compares to the lessons you learn pushing a stroller through and urban environment.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • Greenways, trails, and our green infrastructure are the ultimate equitable equalizer. Access to green space helps physical and mental health. It provides that spaces to nurture the next generation and encourages cultural exchange and community formation. Our thoughtfulness in the design and construction of green infrastructure should circle around inclusivity, multiplier effects and economic opportunites.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • This proposal was premature and the product of siloed thinking. It’s incumbent on our elected officials to keep the big picture front of mind, propose creative solutions and fight for what we deserve on a state and federal level. Shortfalls in our FEMA allocations should not mean we rob Peter to pay Paul. It should mean flipping over tables to get the attention and care that we deserve in our recovery. We need to be all together now!
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • I was heartened by the community turnout for river parks and Director McGirt presented the findings professionally. What saddens me was that the week before, a public input session was held for the Walton Street park renovations and though the city setup a very professional presentation, there was a dearth of electeds, the design community or our more affluent neighbors. We need leadership that is involved in all levels for all communities.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • I lead by listening first to people who live with the consequences of our decisions. I learn by spending time in neighborhoods, asking questions, and weighing lived experience alongside data and plans. As a Council member, my role is to hold space for disagreement, be honest about tradeoffs, and make decisions that move the city forward while protecting the people who already call Asheville home.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • Like many residents, I rely primarily on driving to get around Asheville, but I also walk in my neighborhood and use transit when it fits the trip. Experiencing the city in different ways makes it clear how uneven access and safety can be depending on where you live and how you travel. That perspective informs my focus on safer streets and better connections for everyone.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • Equitable transportation investment means prioritizing safety, access, and reliability in legacy and historically underserved neighborhoods, especially those hardest hit by recent storms. My work on council has reinforced the need to fix sidewalks, crossings, and transit access where people depend on them most, not just where projects are easiest.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • I support consolidated growth because it allows us to use existing infrastructure more efficiently, reduce sprawl, and protect rural and environmentally sensitive land. Locating housing closer to jobs, services, and transit can lower costs and environmental impacts. But consolidation has to be paired with strong anti-displacement protections so growth strengthens neighborhoods rather than repeating past harms or pushing longtime residents out.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • Housing growth is an important tool to reduce displacement, but it is not enough on its own. Increasing supply can ease pressure, especially when new homes are built near jobs and transit. At the same time, we must protect existing residents through home repair, tenant protections, and long-term affordability tools. Preventing displacement requires both building new housing and stabilizing the people and neighborhoods already here.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • Missing middle housing can expand options and support walkable, connected neighborhoods, but it cannot be applied the same way everywhere. Allowing these housing types by right works best in areas with lower displacement risk and adequate infrastructure. In legacy neighborhoods, additional protections and community-driven planning are essential so new development does not displace long-time residents.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Complete streets mean designing roads so people of all ages and abilities can move safely, whether walking, biking, using mobility devices, taking transit, or driving. Parts of the River Arts District show progress by slowing traffic and creating space for people, but also highlight where we must do better with connections, resilience, and ensuring improvements serve nearby neighborhoods, not just visitors.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • One barrier is trust in how decisions are made. Many residents question bike lanes when basic needs like sidewalks, drainage, or lighting remain unmet. When infrastructure improvements feel imposed or out of sequence, they can deepen skepticism rather than improve safety. Becoming a safer city means listening first and sequencing investments to build confidence and benefit existing residents.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • I lean toward a ridership-focused network because frequent, reliable service is what makes transit usable for everyday trips. At the same time, coverage matters for seniors, people with disabilities, and residents in already underserved areas. This is not an either-or question. Asheville needs a hybrid approach and a dedicated, reliable funding source so we are not forced to choose between frequency and access every budget cycle.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • My vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways is rooted in access, connection, and resilience. Trails should safely connect neighborhoods to parks, schools, transit, and daily destinations, not just serve as recreational amenities. Moving that vision forward means coordinating land use, transportation, and park planning and prioritizing projects that close gaps for residents with the least access.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • Greenways and trails can support affordability by improving quality of life, reducing transportation costs, and connecting people to jobs and services. At the same time, we must be thoughtful about timing and protections in neighborhoods facing displacement pressure. Investments should be paired with housing stabilization and home repair so long-time residents benefit from improvements.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • I do not support shifting over half of the funds away from affordable multi-family housing construction. The need for home repair after Helene is real, and helping residents remain safely housed is essential. At the same time, cutting deeply into construction funding would worsen the housing shortage driving displacement and homelessness. Recovery must stabilize current residents while continuing to build long-term, income-restricted housing.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • What stands out is the depth of community engagement and clarity residents have about what they value along the riverfront. People want parks that are resilient, accessible, and reflective of daily use. The outreach shows that recovery is about rebuilding better and listening early so investments serve the whole community.

I’m running for City Council to bring pragmatic leadership to the City on a platform of infrastructure, housing, safety and economy.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • I am seeking to bring pragmatic leadership to City Council. I have 30 years of professional work experience in engineer, business and real estate. I have run very complex projects. Right now we need to people that can disagree without being dysfunctional and we need people that can make effective decisions that are the best for our community.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • Mostly by car, sometimes by bike or one wheel. Occasionally on bus.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • We need more greenways and more development near the core areas of Asheville

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • We need growth in the core areas of the city to generate revenue and provide housing that’s walkable and liveable
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • We need more housing choice for people in all income areas
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • Our zoning should encourage smart growth

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Some areas should allow different uses to encourage vibrant communities, like small coffee shops in neighborhoods
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • The will to make decisions

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • We need to focus on the best use of our transit budget. As part of a ridership focus, we need to encourage development near transit areas. Our current zoning and City leadership has done the opposite.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • Greenways are not only important for alternative transport, they produce key areas for development. An example is in Atlanta greenway that not only creates smart growth but brings revenue
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • Yes. We need many more greenways.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • Multi family will make the greatest impact on affordability
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • N/A

I’m participating because the choices we make about housing, mobility, and land use shape opportunity for generations. I bring a focus on children, families, and long-term stability, and I look forward to learning from this community.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • I listen carefully, learn constantly, and lead with intention. I believe in grounding decisions in both data and lived experience, staying accountable, and working with others to build practical solutions that improve everyday life in Asheville.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • I usually travel by car in my plug-in hybrid, moving east to west for work, up to North Asheville, and south each week to have dinner with my dad. Being on the road across the city shows me how differently people experience mobility and why transportation has to work for real daily life, not just ideal scenarios.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • Equitable transportation starts with acknowledging past harm and asking who actually has access today. From my work in public housing communities, I’ve supported coworkers with rides home or to bus stops and seen how transit fails people w/o cars, especially caregivers with children. Equity means investing in routes, sidewalks, safety, and frequency, not expanding highways that bypass daily needs.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • I support Consolidated Growth because it aligns housing, jobs, and services in walkable, transit-served areas where infrastructure already exists. This makes it more affordable and equitable to provide frequent transit, safe sidewalks, and bike networks. It reduces sprawl, pollution, and long commutes while directing public investment to communities that have historically been excluded from opportunity.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • No
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • Housing growth can be part of preventing displacement, but it is not sufficient on its own. Without long-term affordability, tenant protections, infrastructure investment, and displacement risk analysis, new housing can accelerate speculation and push people out. Preventing displacement requires pairing growth with intentional policies that help incumbent residents stay housed and rooted in their communities.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • Missing middle housing can be a helpful tool when done thoughtfully. Allowing duplexes and quadplexes by right can expand housing options and support walkable neighborhoods near transit and services. But it must be paired with affordability, infrastructure, and displacement safeguards so growth helps people stay rather than driving up prices or making it easier for investors to buy up homes.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Complete streets are about designing for everyday life. I grew up in South Asheville, walking to school, cutting through neighborhoods, and crossing busy roads. Today, many of those routes have sidewalks and speed humps. I now live in Oakley, where recent street updates have also made it safer for families to walk their children to school, yay! Streets should be built around families, schools, and access to public transit, not just for cars.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • A major barrier is disconnected and unsafe infrastructure. Sidewalks often need repair (and many end abruptly), bike lanes don’t connect, and high-speed corridors like Merrimon, Patton, and Tunnel Road act as barriers between neighborhoods. These gaps force people walking, biking, or using mobility devices into traffic. Until safety-first design is the default, not project-by-project, our streets will continue to put people at risk.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • I support a ridership-focused network because frequency and reliability are what make transit usable for daily life. Buses that come often and run on clear routes work better for workers, students, caregivers, and families. Coverage still matters, but a frequent core system, paired with equity safeguards, builds trust in transit and allows access to grow over time.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • My vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways is shaped by my experience supporting youth programs that bring students to city parks. Like libraries, parks and greenways are some of the few truly free public spaces left, open to everyone. I want investments that expand safe access to these spaces, support youth enrichment and outdoor learning, and strengthen community well-being, guided by local plans and community input.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • They can play a supportive role, but they are not a solution to poverty or affordability on their own. Their real value is in creating safer, healthier communities, providing local jobs, and connecting neighborhoods to outdoor learning, youth programs, and enrichment. We should be thoughtful to ensure investments benefit nearby residents, improve access, and are paired with housing, transit, and economic opportunity rather than driving up costs.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • I support repairing storm-damaged homes, especially for low-income homeowners. I do not support shifting scarce disaster-recovery dollars away from deeply affordable, multi-family housing. Home repair is part of recovery, but affordable housing construction is not replaceable. Once those funds are redirected, renters and unhoused families lose critical pathways to stability. Recovery must balance immediate repair with long-term housing security.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • The commitment to community engagement in recovery stands out and what’s missing. After Helene, students lost weeks of instruction, and literacy and math gaps persist, yet education is not treated as an unmet recovery need. Parks matter for sure and true resilience means recognizing education as essential infrastructure alongside rebuilding public spaces. I want children to learn and grow in our city so they can enjoy the parks!

Due to content limits on this questionnaire, I invite friends & neighbors to visit my full answers with links on the blog at KimRoney4Asheville.com

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • As a current Council member, I show up:
    • By & for community: I commute, volunteer, and engage with community, accessible for input, accountability, and collaboration.
    • By the numbers: I review data-driven solutions and innovations to work towards common goals.
    • By the minute: Through Monday Minute, I invite friends & neighbors to know what’s going on in City Hall and what we can do about it.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • Since donating our family car in 2008, I’ve prioritized reducing my reliance on fossil fuels by walking, biking, using public transit, and carpooling.
    
    Using active transportation means bringing my lived experience to decision-making on Asheville City Council, on the MPO, as liaison to the Transit Committee, and as a member of ART-C advocating for public transit.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • Asheville’s many studies acknowledge our history and data-driven solutions for repairing harms. Implementing change means allocating staff & budget resources to get things done.
    
    Relationships inform my thinking. There’s a community garden in every vulnerable neighborhood identified through the Climate Justice Initiative. Volunteering is a delightful way to grow relationships and food security.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • Strong Towns and local Urban 3 data shows density on transit corridors reduces vehicle miles traveled, carbon emissions, cost of living, and demand for parking. It’s an issue of short and long-term planning to build & maintain infrastructure.
    
    With action including anti-displacement strategies, land-banking, and incentive programs, we can achieve consolidated growth with true solutions for affordability and housing for all.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • I support the Missing Middle Housing Study and Displacement Risk Assessment.
    
    So what do we do within the limitations on cities in NC?
    • Reduce Displacement: Please read Chapter 5 of Asheville’s Missing Middle Housing study
    • Leverage Lived & Professional Experience
    • Partner for solutions
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • Adding to my position supporting the Missing Middle Housing Study, I advocate for a community benefits table for use by right development of housing density on transit corridors–just like the City uses for hotels.
    
    Apply design standards; use transit corridor maps from Missing Middle study; and pass a benefits table allowing developers to expedite processes, redirecting cost savings from lengthy approval processes into supportive infrastructure.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Owning a vehicle shouldn’t be a prerequisite for getting to work, shopping, or school. Asheville must prioritize design so everyone gets to their destination safely.
    
    Getting right: Merrimon Ave. reconfiguration; Coxe Ave. tactical urbanism pilot; protected bike lanes in RAD.
    
    Do better: Connecting state roads to neighborhoods; ADA-compliant, safe design infrastructure; and safe crossings including longer crossing times at intersections.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • State-maintained roads are the spines of our neighborhoods, but we’re choosing interstate expansion instead, and my record voting against that reflects my concern.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Coverage
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • Asheville needs coverage and ridership.
    
    If we reduce coverage, workers and families have to buy another car, pay a cab, or relocate. More cars means more carbon emissions, traffic, and parking demand.
    
    If we want just ridership, we’d move to fare free, proven to increase ridership.
    
    In our Council 3×3 presentation on the current study, we learned the real purpose of the study was to make the case for more, dedicated funding to expand transit.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • When we ensure our multimodal infrastructure is ADA-compliant, we invest in infrastructure that benefits everyone. Here are a few ways to move forward together:
    • Dedicated transit funding that includes connective infrastructure of sidewalks, greenways, and safe routes to schools;
    • A community benefits table for housing development; and
    • Partnering with NCDOT & MPO staff to expedite construction of approved projects that have been delayed
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • Location affordability data connects housing & transportation costs. Deeply-affordable housing on transit corridors close to jobs, groceries, education, and childcare options is key to making Asheville a safe, affordable place to live and work.
    
    Access to housing and transportation options is linked to the social determinants of health, part of achieving a Healthy and Well-Planned Community for all.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • The harsh reality: Asheville received $225-million in CDBG-DR funds to address $1.1-billion in damages to our housing, infrastructure and economy. This decision reveals the need for more funding to deliver a true recovery from the catastrophe of Hurricane Helene.
    
    My position in this questionnaire may shift with new data and analysis, including hearing staff and Council recommendations at the Housing & Community Development Committee level.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • City staff are synchronizing plans, including the Recreate Asheville 10-Year Parks & Rec Plan, engaging community along the way.
    
    Many parks are adjacent to rivers & streams, an added benefit to our multimodal transportation network. Karen Cragnolin park is an example of how riparian buffers & native plant species make our parks & multimodal infrastructure more resilient during flooding, a model for Helene recovery and resilient infrastructure.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • I begin by listening to my community, learning the peoples’ values, priorities, and opinions because I am in service to our residents. I inform my decision making with data, because we need to be forward looking and improvement focused and generally can learn from successes in similar communities. I build systems that center participation and turn community voices into better outcomes for all.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • I drive, walk and bike. For work, I often travel to surrounding counties necessitating the use of a car. And to run errands, I try to consolidate trips using my vehicle. I also walk and bike all over Asheville. Seeing a city on foot or bike changes your perspective. I can see the challenges, deficiencies and enhancements in infrastructure, and understand first-hand, where improvements are needed.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • We do not have enough transportation options, especially for people with disabilities and those who walk, bike, or ride the bus. I expanded multimodal infrastructure, advocated for the 2016 and 2024 bonds, helping to secure millions for sidewalks and greenways. I support the Close the GAP Plan, better transit, and the Merrimon Avenue road diet, as examples, making transportation safe and reliable.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • Consolidated growth makes sense for Asheville as it is focused in more urbanized, walkable areas, with existing infrastructure that supports shorter trips and encourages use of public transit, walking, biking and other modes of non-vehicle transportation. Asheville needs to concentrate new housing, jobs, and development in locations that already have a higher level of development, along dense urban corridors, rather than growing out.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • I support housing growth partnered with the implementation of the anti-displacement strategies recommended by the Missing Middle Housing study. Growth in housing is needed to address the affordable housing crisis and provide much needed housing to the thousands of people identified through the Bowen Housing study. But there must be increased investment in our most vulnerable neighborhoods.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • It could be. The biggest reason some cities have high rates of homelessness and others don’t is not because of poverty, mental illness, drug use, or local politics, but because of housing costs and housing availability. Because missing middle housing is yet one more tool for growing housing availability and therefore affordability, I strongly support code changes that would make it as easy as possible to build missing middle housing.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Complete streets are designed for everyone, not just drivers. They serve walkers, bikers, transit users, people of all abilities, and emergency services with sidewalks, crosswalks, bike lanes or paths, bus lanes, safe intersections, trees, lighting, and places to rest. We did this well in the RADTP. Merrimon can improve with consistent markings, protected bike lanes, and fewer curb cuts.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • Challenges include information, communications, divisiveness, politics and misunderstanding. From my experience in the early days of RADTP, there was great apprehension by some landowners in the RAD who thought greenways and multiuse paths would negatively affect their property. Change is hard but I am a fierce advocate for the continued retrofit of Asheville to multimodal transportation infrastructure.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • I defer to transit users and experts on the best model for Asheville. I have consistently supported public transportation and its funding, seeking partnerships to reduce costs. I am concerned about the city’s capacity to provide useful service. With driver shortages and fleet challenges, ridership may be inevitable, but the community will be included in this decision.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • I strongly support building trails and greenways envisioned by the community, providing safe, practical routes for work, school, shopping, and recreation by any mode. I’ve lived car-free in Boulder, relied on robust transit in Jerusalem, and learned from multimodal infrastructure in Minneapolis. Greenways and trails also promote health, joy, and connection through hiking and biking, something cities should provide for their communities.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • A comprehensive, usable, safe network of greenways, trails, bikelanes, and other multimodal transportation options creates greater affordability because it creates greater accessibility. It is important to recognize the linkage between these enhancements and potential gentrification. Done right, by adding affordable housing, job opportunities, and other elements needed to level participation, greenways and trails can support affordability.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • Yes – I support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • Asheville’s housing affordability crisis must be addressed through every tool available, including building more affordable multi-family housing and funding single-family home repairs. Regarding CDBG-DR funds, federal and state rules, combined with underestimated Hurricane Helene damage, required the city to shift some multi-family funds to single-family home repairs.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • I am committed to rebuilding the parks along the Swannanoa and French Broad Rivers better than before. Since Hurricane Helene, I have worked to secure federal, hazard mitigation, and CDBG-DR funds. This community-led process uses residents’ vision to create resilient, improved parks. While complex and costly, the public is eager to see this work done quickly and well.

I’m expecting to to gain more knowledge in some of these areas of interest to these communities as it also relates to making decisions throughout the city.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • Listening is a key part to learning and when you learn you can also understand and once you understand you can compromise. I prefer working together rather than lead, making decisions together with the city and residents then we should be able to make a more informed decision with less backlash.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • I travel by car by car and sometimes I walk depending on weather and other conditions. Considering I was born and raised here for over 50 years now I have been able to have the privilege of growing up in all parts of Asheville, wether it was as a child or as an adult I’ve been able to see the change that Asheville has went through when a majority of the other candidates do not have that same honor
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • More buses/ bus routes? More parking spaces less parking decks. Maybe even the old fashion taxi can?

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Dispersed Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • To try to open up home ownership by giving more options to less expensive property.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • No
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • Pricing is the issue to displacement. Rental hopping is what’s going on right now, where tenants are moving out after a year so they can take advantage of the new move-in deals they get.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • No
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • If it’s not income based then more than likely it’s not going to be affordable for most of the people that need apartment style living.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • No. The streets are horrible, most of the people on the roads do not follow basic driving skills, for example: Turning right on red, slower traffic keep right, no U Turn, do not impede traffic,etc. taking away two lanes on merrimon ave to make bike lanes congested traffic in that area even more. And now with the lowering of the speed limits on Fairview Rd and Riverside dr to 25-35 down from 35-45 has created more congestion and road rage.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • I personally feel Asheville has a fair amount of walking space but for bikes on the roadways the owners need to have insurance and a tag just every other person that uses the road ways everyday: trucks,cars, motorcycles, scooters.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Coverage
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • First we need to figure out what’s wrong with the services now and then implement a plan.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • For some the communities that want them then I would consider supporting some but for the communities that really don’t desire it should not be forced.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • Not with this budget shortfalls. But we should be mindful of the communities that do not use these greenways and or how could they get involved or a different concept for communities that don’t want greenways.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • Yes – I support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • There has to be a compromise in this and needs further review.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • Just wondering how much of the public input was from African Americans here in Asheville so a lot of what we are rebuilding is going to be built with diversity.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • I meet people where they are—not just at City Hall. I use social media for public accountability, posting short videos to explain what happened at city council meetings. Through Coffee with a Councilwoman, town halls, a monthly newsletter, and more than 1,700 doors knocked, I listen first. Those front-porch conversations shape my collaborative, inclusive, results-oriented leadership.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • Living less than a mile from work, I usually bike or take the bus—and drive when needed. Experiencing Asheville this way keeps me grounded. You feel what’s working, where small fixes matter, and how investments show up in daily life. That perspective is why I’m seeking re-election: to keep delivering practical results that make Asheville safer and more connected for everyone.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • Equitable transportation means safe choices to get around. When walking, biking, and transit are reliable—not just theoretically available—people aren’t forced into car ownership. Listening to residents citywide has shown me how gaps in infrastructure affect their lives. Designing streets that work for families, seniors, workers, and people with disabilities builds a fairer city for everyone.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • Consolidated Growth scenario aligns land use, transportation, and housing so public investments work harder. Focusing growth in existing corridors delivers safer streets, better sidewalks, and more reliable transit where people already live and work. It supports affordability, reduces car dependence, protects our tax base, while strengthening neighborhood connections and livability.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • Yes. When housing growth is intentional and well-located, it helps prevent displacement. When we don’t build enough homes, prices rise and longtime residents can be pushed out. Thoughtful growth in existing neighborhoods and corridors relieves that pressure, reduces sprawl and transportation costs, and helps people stay near work and services—especially when paired with strong anti-displacement tools.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • Allowing middle housing expands housing options and helps reduce displacement and homelessness. Zoning more homes near jobs and transit eases rent pressure, cuts sprawl, and lowers transportation costs. We’ve made modest reforms, but we need clearer rules, reduced parking requirements, and broader by-right allowances so housing can be built faster and more affordably—especially where infrastructure already exists, including downtown.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Complete streets mean designing for how people actually move—not just cars—to prioritize safety and connectivity, while being honest about today’s cost and delivery constraints. Bike lanes on College Street and Patton Avenue are keystone projects that improve safety downtown and unlock the broader network.Complete streets aren’t a checklist—they’re about outcomes and a connected system people can use.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • Culture. We need to keep leading a shift in how we share our streets. That means recognizing that our roads serve many users—people walking, biking, using mobility devices, transit, and cars—and designing and operating them to reduce conflict, improve safety, and build mutual respect among all users.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • I support a ridership-focused transit network, with targeted coverage where it’s most needed. With limited resources, Asheville should prioritize frequent, reliable service on key corridors so transit is a real option for daily trips. This approach connects people to jobs, schools, and healthcare, lowers transportation costs, strengthens the system long-term, and supports equity, climate goals, and future investment.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • My vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways comes from seeing families use them every day—kids learning to ride, parents with strollers, neighbors walking, seniors staying active. Greenways are about connection, health, and access, not just recreation. Moving forward means finishing what we’ve started, closing gaps between neighborhoods, parks, schools, and downtown, and designing trails that feel safe and welcoming for all ages and abilities.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • Yes—greenways and trails support affordability when they function as part of a connected transportation network. By linking neighborhoods to jobs, schools, and transit, they reduce car dependence and household costs. To avoid displacement, greenway investments should be paired with affordability protections and focus on closing gaps that serve existing residents, not isolated, high-end amenities.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • I wouldn’t support shifting over half of our affordable housing funds to single-family repairs. Helping residents fix storm damage and stay housed is essential and should be funded. But this is a once-in-a-generation chance to invest federal dollars in long-term affordable multifamily housing for displaced residents, workers, and seniors. We need balance—without sacrificing future housing supply and stability.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • What stood out most was the depth of care and seriousness the recovery boards are bringing to this work. It was clear how much time and thought community members are investing to shape decisions that will last generations. With nearly $1 billion in federal recovery funding coming to Asheville, this early, meaningful engagement is essential to guide complex rebuilds over the next five years and set the foundation for strong, lasting outcomes.

More info on me can be found at Ball4Yall.com. I appreciate Asheville on Bikes, MountainTrue and Strong Towns combining forces. Y’all are already a powerful coalition and I’m excited to see all you’ll do to move smart policy forward!

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • I lead by showing up and listening with an open heart and an open mind, because the people closest to the challenges often hold the best solutions. Public service works when leaders are accessible, transparent, and willing to learn. My approach is grounded in two decades of community organizing and environmental advocacy.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • I drive most days but biking is my favorite way to experience Asheville. At different times, where I’ve lived shaped what was possible: downtown made biking and walking easy; Oakley made it harder; West Asheville makes it feasible again though downtown trips usually means driving. Years of daily cycling in DC taught me how healthier, happier, and connected a dense, bike-friendly city can be.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • It means designing our streets so everyone can get around safely and efficiently, whether they drive, bike, walk, or rely on transit. My thinking is shaped by living in many parts of the city, traveling, and having lived in places where safe bike networks and reliable transit were part of everyday life. Complete, connected systems expand opportunity, improve public health, and make life easier.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • A consolidated growth pattern helps people spend less time stuck in traffic and more time living their lives. It puts homes closer to jobs, schools, and services, makes walking, biking, and transit safer, and more feasible. It lowers costs for families and the city, now and in the future, by making smarter infrastructure investments. It reduces displacement, cuts pollution, and protects the character that makes Asheville special.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • Housing costs, displacement and homelessness are directly connected, and they’re rising faster in our region than the state average due to past policy choices. We have the data, tools, and guidance to do better but what we need is the political will and leadership ready to build coalitions and deliver real housing solutions.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • Missing-middle housing by right is a low-cost way to expand Asheville’s housing supply. Multifamily homes on existing infrastructure can lower per-unit costs, increase supply without sprawl, slow rent growth, reduce displacement, increase our tax base, and improve fiscal outcomes, keeping neighborhoods stable and residents out of housing insecurity or homelessness.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Complete streets mean designing roads so everyone can travel safely and efficiently by bike, foot, bus, or car. Through smart planning, we can encourage healthier transportation, improve public transit, and prioritize safety and equity. Every street has context, and good design ensures all users can get where they need to go safely. I’m excited Haywood Rd in West Asheville will soon have more bike lanes!
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • The biggest barrier is focus. There are many competing priorities, and safe, walkable, bikeable streets don’t happen on their own. Asheville has a backlog of strong complete streets projects, it just needs commitment, drive, and some matching funds to make them a reality. Asheville can have nice things!

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • I support a ridership focused network to increase frequency on major transit corridors. It’s not fair that people who rely on buses must wait so long. Residents deserve more frequent, reliable service. Higher-frequency routes encourage smart growth and housing density, keeping transit accessible and effective as the city grows.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • Greenways aren’t just pretty, healthy and fun, they support local businesses and attract community activity. I’m focused on expanding and interconnecting trails to make them useful for transportation and recreation. On the County Commission, I’ve advanced our greenway master plan, built partnerships, and advocated steadily, and I’m running to continue this work.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • I support expanding connected greenways, but we should pair them with anti-displacement policies. Greenways work best when they improve communities and stay near long-term affordable housing, enhancing access without driving up costs or attracting luxury development. Investments in trails can support affordability if guided by thoughtful planning and an anti-displacement framework.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • Shifting most affordable housing CDBG‑DR funds to single‑family repair was not the only option. We need both, and should use other funding sources and advocate for more state/federal support rather than weaken our affordable housing investment. Providing funding to get families back in their homes is critical, but we can spread out the cost burden, shifting some funds from areas like Commercial District Revitalization can help meet the gap.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • Asheville has always been civic-minded and committed to stewardship, and the Riverfront Parks outreach reflects that. The city has created space for hundreds of residents in person and thousands online to share input. The best ideas come from those directly impacted, and we should honor our resident’s input. I’m running to continue this steady, transparent, partnership-driven approach.

Please feel free to visit blakeforasheville.com for more information.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • The best way to learn what is important to people is to listen first. This allows me to lead with an informed perspective.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • I drive, walk, and run. As a resident of South Asheville, the traffic on Hendersonville Road is a reminder of the amount of commercial development our area has consistently endured over the last 8 years. We are now limited to the connections we can make to our existing infrastructure unless we reinforce and focus first improvements.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • To me, it’s pretty simple: we don’t have enough safe, reliable ways for folks to get around if they’re not driving a car. That hits people with disabilities especially hard, along with folks who walk, bike, or rely on the bus. I support better sidewalks, greenways, bike connections and the Close the GAP Plan – because transportation should work for everyone, not just people behind the wheel.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • Asheville works best when we grow inward with purpose, not outward without planning. Focusing growth in walkable areas that already have roads, sidewalks, and transit means shorter trips, less traffic, and more options to get around without a car. We must protect our rural areas and keeps infrastructure costs from getting out of hand. Now is the time to focus on new housing and jobs along our existing corridors instead of sprawling farther out.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • We are experiencing a housing crunch and need more affordable homes to meet the needs we already know exist. But growth has to be paired with strong anti-displacement strategies, like those recommended in the Missing Middle study. If we’re not investing in our most vulnerable neighborhoods at the same time, we risk leaving people behind.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • The biggest driver of homelessness and displacement isn’t politics or personal choices, it’s rising costs and housing availability. Duplexes, triplexes, and small apartment buildings give us more housing options without changing the character of neighborhoods overnight. I support making it easier, not harder, to build this kind of housing.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • It means streets that work for everybody — walkers, bikers, bus riders, people using wheelchairs, kids, seniors, and yes, drivers too. That looks like solid sidewalks, safe crossings, visible bike lanes, lighting, trees, and places to sit, catch your breath and relax. I love what the City did with the River Arts District Transportation Plan. We need more complete streets in Asheville.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • I believe it’s fear of change and misinformation. Multimodal transportation is the right move — and worth sticking with, even when it gets uncomfortable.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • I trust the transit experts to guide these decisions such as these, but given driver shortages and the city’s aging fleet, we have to be realistic about what we can deliver well. Whatever direction we go, the community needs to stay at the table.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • I am an avid trail runner – from the MST to the trails throughout the NC Arboretum. I’ve seen how good bike and trail networks change how a city feels. Greenways should be practical, not just pretty. Greenways bring connection, and better health, and that’s something every community deserves.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • A connected network of trails, bike lanes, and sidewalks makes life more affordable by giving people more ways to get around without owning a car. The key is doing these investments strategically alongside affordable housing, job access, and community protections so longtime residents benefit, not get pushed out.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • Yes – I support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • We need both more affordable multi-family housing and help for homeowners who are struggling to repair storm-damaged homes. It’s not an either/or; it’s about using every available tool to keep people housed and stabilize neighborhoods.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • I like rebuilding smarter and stronger than before. What stands out most to me is how community-driven this process has been. People care deeply about these parks, and they want them back safer, more resilient, and better than they were.

I’m someone who shows up consistently, builds trust, and values real relationships. My work is rooted in community, care, and accountability, and I stay grounded by learning directly from the people I serve.

Leadership & Experience

• What would you like people to know about how you listen, learn, and lead?
  • I lead by listening first. I center voices closest to the challenges and turn what I learn into action. My leadership connects youth opportunity, mental well-being, and a healthy environment so Asheville works for everyone.
• How do you most often travel around Asheville in your daily life, and how does that shape your experience of the city?
  • I mostly travel by car, moving across many neighborhoods. I see how uneven transit access limits jobs, healthcare, and youth opportunities. Transportation isn’t just movement, it’s access, equity, and daily quality of life.
• What does equitable transportation investment look like to you in Asheville, and what experiences have informed how you think about it?
  • Equitable investment prioritizes underserved neighborhoods with safe sidewalks, transit, and bike routes. Transportation should connect people to opportunity, reduce environmental harm, and allow everyone to move safely and with dignity.

Growth Patterns & Housing

These questions are informed by the Elevate 2050 Metropolitan Transportation Plan, Asheville Missing Middle & Displacement Risk Assessment, and Living Asheville: A Comprehensive Plan for the Future.

• Federal transportation dollars to improve Asheville’s streets, sidewalks, and highways are spent according to plans developed by our local Metropolitan Planning Organization.The recently approved Elevate 2050 plan lays out 3 potential growth scenarios for our area: Business as Usual, Consolidated Growth, and Dispersed Growth. Of these three scenarios, which do you think would be the best growth pattern for the Asheville area?
  • Consolidated Growth
• Share more about why you selected this growth pattern.
  • Consolidated Growth. It strengthens neighborhoods, improves access to transit and services, and invests where people already live. Growth should build community, reduce displacement, and connect families to opportunity.
• Do you accept the premise that housing growth is a strategy to prevent displacement? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your views on housing growth and displacement.
  • Housing growth can help prevent displacement if it’s paired with affordability protections. Growth alone isn’t enough, we need policies that keep longtime residents housed and ensure new development benefits the community.
• Research has shown that cities that create more housing options for renters through building multi-family housing do a better job at preventing and reducing homelessness. Do you think allowing middle housing types like duplexes and quadplexes by right in all residential neighborhoods would be an effective strategy to create more affordable housing in Asheville? (Yes or No)
  • Yes
• Share more about your position on missing middle housing as use by right.
  • I believe if paired with affordability and anti-displacement protections. Middle housing can expand options for working families, but it must be guided by equity so longtime residents benefit and neighborhoods stay stable, while minimizing gentrification.

Complete Streets

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Complete Street Policy.

• When you think about “complete streets” in Asheville, what does that idea mean to you in practice? Can you share an example of a place where you think we’re getting it right—or could do better?
  • Complete streets mean roads designed for everyone, walkers, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers. We’re improving in some corridors, but many neighborhoods still lack safe sidewalks and crossings. Investment should prioritize areas that have been overlooked.
• Aside from budgetary constraints, what’s one barrier you see to Asheville becoming a safer city for people who walk, bike, use micromobility and/or assistive mobility devices?
  • A major barrier is uneven planning that hasn’t centered accessibility or equity. Safety gaps persist where residents rely most on walking and transit. We need consistent, citywide design standards that prioritize vulnerable users first.

Transit

This question is informed by the ongoing ART Comprehensive Operational Analysis.

• Asheville is in the middle of a Comprehensive Operational Analysis of our bus system. Residents were recently asked to consider two different network concepts: a coverage concept and a ridership concept. Which concept do you prefer for Asheville?
  • Ridership
• Share more about your position regarding ridership or coverage.
  • Ridership. A frequent, reliable network helps the most people reach jobs, healthcare, and opportunity. Strong core service builds trust in transit — and equity planning can ensure neighborhoods that rely on buses aren’t left behind.

Greenways & Trails

These questions are informed by Asheville’s Close the Gap Plan, Recreate Asheville, and The Hellbender Regional Plan.

• What informs your vision for Asheville’s trails and greenways, and how would you move that vision forward?
  • My vision is trails and greenways that connect neighborhoods to parks, schools, fresh produce, and daily needs, not just recreation. I’d prioritize closing gaps in underserved areas and planning with community so access, safety, and climate resilience guide expansion.
• In your view, can investments in greenways and trails support affordability in Asheville—and where should we be thoughtful or cautious?
  • Yes, greenways can improve health, mobility, and quality of life. But we must guard against displacement. Investment should include housing protections so longtime residents benefit instead of being priced out.

Reconstruction

These questions are informed by Asheville’s acceptance of Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery and the ongoing French Broad & Azalea Parks Recovery Project.

• The City has been allocated $225 million in CDBG-DR (Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery) funds from HUD to aid our recovery from Hurricane Helene. HUD approved the city’s initial plan to spend $125 million on infrastructure, $52 million on Economic Revitalization, and $31 million on housing. Within the $31 million to be spent on housing, $28 million is dedicated to building affordable housing while the remaining $3 million is for single family home repair. Recently, the city has proposed shifting over half of the funds originally planned for affordable housing construction over to single family home repair. Would you support that proposed change?
  • No – I do not support shifting over half of funds dedicated to affordable housing construction to single family home repair.
• Share more about your position regarding affordable multi-family construction vs. single family home repair.
  • I’d be cautious. Home repair matters, but shifting funds away from affordable housing risks deepening our housing shortage. Recovery should protect existing homeowners and expand affordable options so families aren’t displaced.
• Director D. Tyrell McGrit recently shared an update with City Council on the Riverfront Parks Recovery outreach and findings at the Jan. 13, 2026 City Council Work Session. What stands out to you about the work so far, and why?
  • What stands out is the intentional outreach. Recovery is being shaped by real community input, not assumptions. That matters because riverfront parks are shared spaces, and rebuilding them should reflect the needs of the people who depend on them.