From Staff Reports 

A much-anticipated report — expected to provide clear, actionable strategies to address the scourge of homelessness in Asheville — was released Jan. 23.

The report, costing $73,000 and devised by the National Alliance to End Homelessness, features its findings as well as its recommendations for addressing unsheltered homelessness in Asheville, Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on Jan. 23.

“The Alliance was hired as a consultant for the city and Buncombe County with funding from Dogwood Health Trust,” News 13 noted. “The 50-plus page report outlines five strategies and 30 recommendations for city and county leaders.”

The homelessness consultant’s strategies were the following:

• Create a strong foundation

• Implement evidence-based and inclusive policy

• Improve system performance through program design

• Improve data quality and reporting

• Invest in the future

Of the 30 recommendations, the Alliance identified the following eight key recommendations to prioritize:

• Improve system governance

• Implement an encampment resolution policy

• Build the capacity of street outreach

• Increase crisis response capacity

• Begin the implementation of system improvements to the Coordinated Entry System

• Create a high-utilizer targeted initiative

• Promote a housing surge for unsheltered people

• Implement moving on strategies

“I think there are some clear, actionable strategies and really clear gaps in our community services, clear that we need additional shelter beds in our community,” Emily Ball, an Asheville homeless strategy division manager, told News 13.

The consultant recommends a 30 percent increase in the number of temporary shelter or interim housing beds. 

The report’s recommended increase amounts to 95 beds for single adults and families with children.

“I think charting that in the data, what we’re seeing on the ground, makes a very clear case that we don’t have enough shelter, and we’ve been calling for shelter for all,” News 13 quoted Amy Cantrell, of BeLoved Asheville, as saying.

Cantrell and other homeless service providers participated in interviews and data collection from the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the TV station noted, adding that “Cantrell is eager to see the next steps now that the report is complete.”

“Certainly, it’ll be up to the community to make sure that this report is a living report and doesn’t just go on a shelf,” she said.

The National Alliance to End Homelessness presented its findings and recommendations to a joint meeting of the Asheville City Council and the Buncombe County Board of Commissioner — at which the public was encouraged to attend — on Jan. 25 in Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville at 87 Haywood St., downtown.