As Hurricane Helene’s impact settles over Buncombe County, neighbors and communities are rallying to support those affected. From hot meals and charging stations to showers and emergency shelter, local resources are in place to help everyone get back on their feet. This guide provides an overview of Community Care Stations, food and water distribution sites, FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers, and other essential services currently available. Whether you need a hot shower, a meal, or assistance with small business recovery, Buncombe County is stepping up to ensure everyone has access to the resources they need in this time of recovery. Here’s a rundown of what’s available and where you can find it. This list is up-to-date as of 11/1/2024.
City offices are open to the public. City recreation centers remain closed except for Asheville Parks and Recreation after school programs. Burning yard waste, leaves and debris is not allowed within city limits due to many safety concerns.
LOCAL UPDATES
Public officials will hold news briefings Monday – Friday at 11 a.m. The briefings are streamed live at facebook.com/buncombeGov and broadcast on Blue Ridge Public Radio 88.1 FM. You can also listen on the Asheville Media Group stations at 105.9, 96.5, 98.1, 105.5 and 97.3 (Spanish) and iHeart radio stations at 99.9, 104.3, 105.1, and 570 AM.
ART BUS SERVICE
ART bus services resumed regular scheduled hours for most bus routes. The N2, 170 and WE1 Eastbound routes have resumed with modifications. Buses are no longer offering flag stop service. ART bus service will continue to be free of charge to all community members until further notice.
FREE PARKING IN CITY GARAGES AND METERED SPACES
Parking is currently free in all city garages and on-street parking spaces until further notice. If you require long-term parking, please use one of the City garages to help keep on-street parking available for short-term visitors, and only park in designated accessible parking spaces if you have a placard. These simple gestures can greatly assist our small businesses as they recover and work to help restore our local economy.
FOOD & WATER DISTRIBUTION
Food, bottled drinking water, and bulk water for flushing (please bring your own containers, like ½ gallon buckets and water totes) are being distributed throughout the area. Please see below the City of Asheville and Buncombe County at the locations and times:
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Sky Lanes Bowling Alley, 1477 Patton Avenue, Asheville – 9a.m. – 7p.m.
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Black Mountain Ingles, 550 NC-9, Black Mountain, 28711 – 12p.m. – 4p.m.
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Fairview Ingles, 225 Charlotte Highway – 12p.m. – 4p.m.
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Swannanoa Ingles, 2299 US 70, Swannanoa – 7a.m. – 7p.m.
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Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center, 121 Shiloh Road, Asheville – 9a.m. – 7p.m. (no bulk water for flushing)
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Pack Square Park, 70 Court Plaza – 9a.m. – 7p.m.
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Buncombe County Sports Park, 58 Apac Dr., Candler – 7a.m. – 7p.m.
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980 Brevard Rd in the At Home store parking lot – 9a.m. – 7p.m.
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85 Tunnel Rd in the Innsbruck shopping center parking lot – 9a.m. – 7p.m.
STORM DEBRIS MANAGEMENT SITES
Storm debris removal is critical for community safety and there continues to be a sense of urgency about debris removal. The longer storm debris remains in our neighborhoods and business areas, the longer we are living with fire and safety hazards. Removing storm debris improves residential and business neighborhood safety. It is also critical to businesses reopening and economic recovery. Temporary sites are necessary to process and ultimately remove debris from our community. Temporary sites will be diligently monitored for safety and compliance with environmental regulations.The debris removal strategy will continue to be dynamic and we will keep pivoting, when possible, as we are able to secure additional sites. We want to have as few impacts on neighborhoods and business areas as possible.
Safety will remain at the forefront of every decision and we remain committed to outreach and information sharing in residential and business neighborhoods near any temporary site. The activities at temporary sites include: debris staging, grinding, compacting and preparation for hauling to a permanent site outside of the city. No hazardous materials will be brought to temporary sites. Temporary sites will receive construction and demolition materials, appliances, electronics, and vegetative material. Some designated areas will also serve as temporary sites for vehicles and household hazardous waste (HHW), which includes normal household items like household cleaning chemicals, paint, and small propane tanks. HHW will be contained to prevent leaching into soil.
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Enka Commerce Park Site – main site, currently receiving storm debris.
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65 Ford Street – will only be used if needed. With the exception of vegetative debris, storm debris currently on this site will be processed and removed.
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Front 9 of the Municipal Golf Course – this site will only be used if needed.
More information on storm debris processing sites can be found at www.ashevillenc.gov/helene/
STORM DEBRIS COLLECTION
City staff and contractors are actively working to remove storm debris. Due to the volume of debris, we cannot provide exact times and locations for collection. Collection will be ongoing. Additional information can be found at ashevillenc.gov/helene/debris-
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The community can place storm debris at the curb in the right of way. Debris should be separated at the curb by category: construction, appliances, electronics, vegetative, and household hazardous materials. There will be multiple passes at collection – you do not have to have it all out at once.
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The contractor cannot collect directly from private property. However, if your pile starts at the curb in the right-of-way and stretches into your yard in a continuous manner, their equipment can reach about 18 feet as long as there are no overhead lines or obstructions.
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Do not place or lean debris near or on trees, poles or other structures including fire hydrants, meters, and curbside trash carts. Do not block the roadway. Ensure access for large trucks & emergency vehicles.
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Do not attempt the cleanup process without proper protective equipment: long pants, safety glasses, gloves and sturdy shoes are recommended.
WATER UTILITY SERVICE
The City of Asheville continues to work diligently to provide customers with potable water. Water service (non potable) has been restored to 99 percent of customers. All City of Asheville water customers are under a Boil Water Notice. This water is NOT SAFE for drinking from the tap. Any water intended for consumption (drinking, cooking, brushing teeth) should be boiled for at least one minute beforehand. Bottled water or water from an alternate source, if available, is recommended for consumption. The water is safe for laundry, showering (do not swallow water while showering), handwashing (unless immediately prepping food after), washing dishes at a minimum 170 degrees, and flushing toilets. To minimize the chance of infections, people with open wounds, cuts, blisters or recent surgical wounds and people who are immunocompromised or suffer from chronic illness should use boiled water (then cooled) or water from an alternate source. The City of Asheville is not assessing late fees for water bills, sending delinquent notices, creating new bills, or doing any cuts-offs for non-payment at this time. We are accepting payments online, in person at City Hall, over the phone, and by mail for anyone that is trying to pay an existing bill. Please contact customer service at 828-251-1122 with billing concerns.
What to do before water service returns: Flip off the breaker to your water heater. Turn off water to your water heater. Turn off hot water under your sinks. Remove aerator (it typically unscrews) on faucets. Turn off the ice maker. Turn off water to your whole house filter, if you have one.
What to do when your water service returns: Flush your home plumbing by running the bathtub’s cold water faucet. Your water heater may be turned back on once your home’s plumbing has been flushed. It’s safe to flush your toilet after completing steps 1 and 2. Leave your ice maker turned off.
FEMA DISASTER DISASTER RECOVERY CENTER
Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC), where you can receive support from FEMA and the Small Business Center, are open at Buncombe County Sports Park (Parking Lot) 58 Apac Dr., Asheville, NC 28806, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Cane Creek Pool – 590 Lower Brush Creek Rd., Fairview, NC 28730, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m.
COMMUNITY CARE STATIONS
Community Care Stations are set up across Buncombe County, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. daily, offering hot showers, laundry, wi-fi, bathrooms, charging stations, water, and meals. All amenities are free to the public. Please bring your own towels and toiletries for showering. All locations have an ADA accessible shower and restroom.
Community Care Station locations:
- AC Reynolds High School, 1 Rocket Dr
- Fairview Ingles, 225 Charlotte Hwy
- At Home Store (Parking Lot), 980 Brevard Rd
- Big Lots/Innsbruck Mall, 85 Tunnel Rd
- Buncombe County Sports Park, 58 Apac Dr
- Bethel United Methodist, 1050 Riceville Rd
Owen Pool, 117 Stone Dr - Swannanoa Ingles, 2319 US Hwy 70
- Morgan Hill Baptist Church, 594 Barnardsville Hwy
SHELTERS
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General public shelter at WNC Agricultural Center (pets accepted) – 1301 Fanning Bridge Rd, Fletcher
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General public shelter at the Old Gold’s Gym – 1815 Hendersonville Rd, Asheville
If you or someone you know needs help, reach out—there’s a network of people ready to lend a hand. Together, we’ll weather this storm and emerge stronger. Stay safe, and don’t hesitate to utilize these resources as we recover, rebuild, and move forward as one community. Please reach out if you have questions or need assistance. Give us a call at anytime at 828-252-1023.
Full Resource Map: https://www.ashevillenc.gov/helene/resource-map/