From Staff Reports

ASHEVILLE — Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said March 11 that the city has revised the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery draft action plan that it aspires to submit to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development after HUD Secretary Scott Turner declared the first version of the plan “not acceptable” due to “DEI criteria,”  Asheville television station WLOS (News 13) reported on March 12.

(DEI stands for diversity, equity and inclusion.)

“We have modified the action plan to reflect his concerns, and we’ve been told the changes that we’ve made were acceptable,” News 13 quoted Manheimer as saying.

The TV station added, “Before touring Helene storm damage in Fletcher on Tuesday (March 11), Secretary Turner made comments on Asheville’s draft action plan on Fox Business.

To that end, Turner was quoted as saying, “This draft action plan that the City of Asheville, presented at first, has elements of DEI in their draft action plan. And that is not acceptable to HUD. It’s not acceptable to the president (Donald J. Trump), according to his executive order to get rid of all DEI.”.

“The 125-page draft action plan concerns more than $225 million in Helene relief,” News 13 noted. “Secretary Turner’s comments concern the following sentence on page 76, regarding small business support:”

“Within the Small Business Support Program, the City will prioritize assistance for Minority and Women Owned Businesses (MWBE) within the scoring criteria outlined within the policies and procedures.” 

In an interview with News 13 on March 11, Manheimer, Asheville’s mayor, said, “(Asheville), like many cities, has a program around contracting with minority- and women-owned businesses. 

“Apparently, the reference to that existing program is not something that they want to see in the action plan.” 

News 13 added, “Seven percent of the proposed HUD funding, totaling $15 million, was earmarked for small business support.

“Both U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-Flat Rock, and Mayor Manheimer said the city is not at risk of losing the funding.”

To that end, Manheimer told News 13, “We’re being reassured. They’re very eager and continue to be eager, this administration, to help support the recovery of WNC, including Asheville — and we’re very appreciative of that.”

Further, News 13 reported, “Residents have until April 3 to weigh in on the proposal. There is an online portal, and three public meetings will be held later in March.”

After its story, the following were among the postings listed on News 13’s Comment Bubble:

• Shinymica — “Key word prioritize to designate or treat something as more important than other things. Exactly what discrimination is and why DEI has been voted out. “

• AvlNC — “Lol. So Asheville, as usual, wants to direct as much as possible to support the homeless. How is this going to help businesses whose employees are unable to go back to work?”