Code Purple Begins

Code Purple is a coordinated effort among Buncombe County and Asheville shelters to alert and provide emergency overflow shelters to unhoused individuals during cold weather (32 degrees or below or 33-40 degrees with precipitation).

The Code Purple season for Nov. 1, 2025 until April 30, 2026 will provide more beds with fewer requirements than in the past. Sites will also work with participants to refer them to ongoing shelter and housing options.

Nightly winter shelter is available at two sites:

• Safe Shelter, 91 New Leicester Hwy. Winter Shelter (nightly). Capacity: 40. Population: Men. Transit Route: WE1 West.
• Safe Shelter, 27 Balm Grove. Winter Shelter (nightly). Capacity: 10. Population: Women. Transit Route: W2, W1, W6.

Hours for entry begin at 6 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. Folks will be able to stay in shelters until 7:30 a.m., and on the coldest days, they will be allowed to stay past that time—in some instances, all day.

A new Operations Coordinator role is included in the plan. This position will support all sites, and responsibilities will include calling Code Purple, recruiting and working with volunteers, collecting data, and coordinating across sites as necessary to support the appropriate placement of individuals and optimize bed utilization at each location. Safe Shelter will be staffing this role.

Code Purple Nightly Winter Shelter Locations

• ABCCM Transformation Village, 30 Olin Haven Way in Asheville. Capacity: 35. Population: Women, Women with Children. Transit Route: W2.
• Salvation Army, 204 Haywood St. Capacity: 16. Population: Men. Transit Routes: W5, WE1 West, WE2 West.
• Homeward Bound/AHOPE, 19 N. Ann St. in Asheville. Capacity: 20. Population: Couples/People with Pets. Transit Routes: W6, WE1 West, WE2 West.

Stay Informed

The Operations Coordinator will call Code Purple based on the forecast on weather.gov 48 hours in advance of the Code Purple event and will collaborate with shelter providers and the City of Asheville’s Homeless Strategy Division.

When called, the Continuum of Care Lead Agency will email the Code Purple distribution list. Based on those email notifications, the City and County will publicize the Code Purple on its website (www.ashevillenc.gov), Harrah’s Cherokee Center marquee, and the County’s text alert system. To be added to the distribution list, email [email protected].

Transit

• Bus transit through ART is free to Code Purple sites at night and from those sites to downtown the following morning.
• Riders should identify themselves to the driver as needing free transit to Code Purple sites beginning at 5:20 p.m. and continuing until 8 p.m. (when general shelter intake closes).
• The morning after a Code Purple event, transport is available back to Coxe Ave terminal from 6 to 9:30 a.m. on weekdays/Saturday and 8 to 10:45 a.m. Sundays. Inbound service is not available after above times if Code Purple has not been issued for that night also.
• Community Paramedics and AFD-REST are available to provide transportation for people who are unable to access bus transit.
• Mission Hospital will facilitate taxi service to Code Purple sites for people being discharged from the hospital.
• ABCCM will facilitate shuttle service to/from the transit stop closest to Transformation Village.

To learn more about Code Purple, please visit www.ashevillenc.gov/service/cold-weather-emergency-shelter. For details on Buncombe County’s Homelessness Resources, visit www.buncombenc.gov/320/Homelessness-Resources.