Search is on for a consultant to help address Asheville and Buncombe County homeless issue

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WLOS) — After months of public concern and media coverage, the City of Asheville, in partnership with Buncombe County, is working to develop a Homelessness Action Plan.

On Monday, the city announced they’re looking to hire a consultant to help develop an actionable plan to address unsheltered homelessness in Asheville and Buncombe County.

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The consultant’s work will be funded by Dogwood Health Trust, and the City of Asheville will be the administrative and contracting point of contact for this collaborative effort. Proposals are due March 18, 2022, and representatives from the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and Dogwood Health Trust will participate in the selection process, with an award anticipated in late April.

In addition to bringing extensive experience with evidence-based practices, the consultant will engage with local stakeholders, including people who are unsheltered, service providers, neighborhoods, and business and faith communities, to conduct a needs assessment and to develop recommendations.

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On Feb. 3, the City of Asheville released a Point-in-Time Count dashboard, which identified 527 people experiencing homelessness in Asheville in the 2021 count. The 2022 Point in Time Count happened on Jan. 25, 2022, and the dashboard will be updated to reflect that data later this spring.