Asheville for All

This letter was delivered to Asheville City Council on March 25th.

Dear City Councilors,

We are writing in favor of the proposed “Haw Creek Meadows” development at 767 New Haw Creek Road, currently on the City Council’s agenda for April 9th.

The city’s staff has drafted a very strong memorandum in support of this project. And so we only want to draw attention to a few key points.

As city staff notes, this is an effort to provide “infill development,” which may aid the neighborhood in reaching a “compact traditional neighborhood pattern.” The result may not only provide much needed housing in a high-demand neighborhood, but also “lay the foundation” for a more walkable community.

A broader implication of the city staff’s well-articulated conclusions is that none of our communities’ built environments need to be set in stone—an assumption that a vocal minority of our city’s residents most assuredly hold, but in the history of American cities is a relatively new phenomenon. We appreciate the city staff calling attention to the Comprehensive Plan which states that even those neighborhoods with a more suburban character can and should grow and change to meet the city’s present and future needs.

We understand that the voices of neighbors in Haw Creek matter, and we were heartened to hear from several residents of the neighborhood who see the need for, and desirability of, welcoming new neighbors to Haw Creek. In addition to the pro-housing letters published in the Citizen-Times and Mountain Xpress, we personally met with Haw Creek residents that wanted to let us know that the neighborhood association, which predictably opposes these new homes, did not speak for them. They understood the dire need for more housing, and they also understood the personal benefits that come with a more vibrant and diverse community. As the saying goes: more neighbors means more fun.

In fact, the discourse surrounding this development provides an opportunity to remind ourselves of something important: while we often hear about “neighborhood opposition” or “neighborhood concerns” to new housing as if there were unanimity, neighborhood associations tend to reflect the interests of a certain subset of our city—those that are wealthier, have more free time, and are settled in their living situations. (That is, they haven’t had to shop around for homes or apartments in some time.)

Finally, we want to point out that residents outside of Haw Creek matter too. When one neighborhood pushes for exclusivity, that has ripple effects throughout the region. A homebuyer that is pushed out of Haw Creek’s home market may instead buy in North Asheville, which in turn means that a homebuyer looking in North Asheville may be pushed out towards West Asheville, settling for an older bungalow or condominium there. The result is not simply one fewer new market-rate home. It’s one fewer “starter home” or rental on the market.