historic asheville lots 1970
Urban renewal is now widely recognized as having torn apart Black communities.

At its June 8, 2021 meeting, Asheville City Council voted to appropriate $2.1 million in proceeds from the sale of City-owned land at 172 and 174 South Charlotte Street to fund community reparations.

A portion of this property includes land the City purchased in the 1970s through Urban Renewal of East End/Valley Street.

The Council action was aligned with a July 14, 2020 vote resulting in a Resolution supporting community reparations for Black Asheville, which will also fund the Reparations Commission to guide the initiative.

Earlier in the current fiscal year, the property at 172 and 174 South Charlotte Street was sold to White Labs Inc. for approximately $3.7 million. In accordance with federal regulations, approximately $1.6 million of this total was reallocated for Community Development Block Grants in March.

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, 2021.

It is anticipated that $200,000 will fund the Community Reparations Commission’s planning and community engagement process, leaving approximately $1.9 million in initial funding for reparations.