From Staff Reports

Asheville City Council voted unanimously June 8  to appropriate $2.1 million from a land deal to go toward community reparations for black Asheville residents.

“The funds, which will come from proceeds from the sale of city-owned land at 172 and 174 South Charlotte St., will be used as seed money to start the process of reparations started last summer,” acccording to Asheville television station WLOS (News 13).

“The land was sold to White Labs Inc. for about $3.7 million. In accordance with federal regulations, about $1.6 million of the total was reallocated for Community Development Block Grants. The remaining $2.1 million from the land sales proceeds has now been appropriated to fund community reparations in advance of the Juneteenth holiday, June 19,” News 13 stated.

The city reportedly plans to spend $200,000 on the planning and community engagement process and about $1.9 million on initial reparations.

Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer called the vote a “monumental moment.”