Asheville Mayoral Candidates Outline Visions for City’s Future
Manheimer emphasizes experience and collaboration; Roney calls for greater transparency, affordability, and community-centered leadership.
Incumbent Mayor Esther Manheimer and City Council member Kim Roney presented contrasting approaches to the city’s most pressing challenges during a recent mayoral candidates forum.
The candidates addressed affordable housing, public safety, economic development, disaster recovery, and regional cooperation. Although they agreed on many of Asheville’s fundamental needs, their responses revealed differences in leadership philosophy and priorities.
Asheville mayoral candidates Mayor Esther Manheimer and City Council member Kim Roney participated in a candidate forum at the Diana Wortham Theater Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, focused on the local economy.
Hurricane Recovery and Rebuilding
Manheimer emphasized her relationships with state and federal officials, including Governor Josh Stein, and her work securing hundreds of millions of dollars in disaster recovery assistance.
She described the funding as an opportunity to transform Asheville rather than simply restore damaged infrastructure. Her priorities include rebuilding parks, strengthening the water system, supporting small businesses, and expanding affordable housing.
Roney agreed that recovery presents an opportunity for lasting improvements but argued that existing funding remains insufficient. She emphasized the need to protect residents and locally owned businesses from displacement as damaged areas are redeveloped.
Roney proposed exploring commercial land trusts to preserve affordable business space and prevent speculative real estate investment from pushing out established enterprises.
Public Safety and Community Services
Both candidates supported expanding alternatives to traditional police responses for mental health emergencies and other situations requiring specialized assistance.
Manheimer highlighted existing partnerships among police, firefighters, crisis counselors, and Buncombe County community paramedics. She also emphasized rebuilding police staffing and reported improvements in officer recruitment.
Roney called for a more comprehensive community safety strategy modeled partly on Durham’s HEART program. Her proposals included expanding mental health response teams, restoring funding for youth violence prevention, strengthening homelessness services, and improving public accountability.
She also advocated reinstating the Citizens Police Advisory Committee and publishing performance dashboards to help residents evaluate city programs.
Affordable Housing and Displacement
Housing affordability emerged as a major concern for both candidates.
Manheimer supported zoning changes that would encourage duplexes, triplexes, accessory dwelling units, and smaller apartment buildings, particularly near existing transportation and infrastructure. She also emphasized rental assistance, home repairs, and affordable housing bonds.
Roney supported similar housing options but argued that development policies must more directly address historic inequities and neighborhood displacement.
She advocated simplifying Asheville’s development regulations, strengthening eviction protections, expanding homeownership opportunities, and developing housing specifically for teachers, service workers, artists, and other essential employees.
Both candidates supported increasing housing availability while protecting established residents.
Tourism, Jobs, and Economic Development
The candidates acknowledged tourism’s importance while expressing concern about its effects on housing affordability and local workers.
Manheimer emphasized support for small businesses, faster permitting, improved transportation, and attracting employers offering living wages and career opportunities. She cited $15.5 million in approved disaster recovery grants for small businesses.
Roney advocated diversifying Asheville’s economy beyond tourism and changing state restrictions governing hotel tax revenues so more funding could benefit residents.
She also emphasized union-supportive employment, affordable commercial property, and greater transparency in the distribution of recovery funds.
Leadership and Regional Cooperation
Manheimer presented her experience building relationships across government agencies as a central qualification for another term. She cited her work coordinating with officials and businesses to advance development projects, including efforts to bring Costco to Asheville.
Roney emphasized coalition-building, public participation, and her work with elected officials and community organizations. She also highlighted her advocacy for restrictions on new data centers and greater attention to their potential environmental impacts.
A Choice in Leadership
The forum illustrated two approaches to Asheville’s future.
Manheimer emphasized continuity, established partnerships, and the ability to translate government resources into completed projects.
Roney emphasized greater community involvement, stronger protections against displacement, and more transparent decision-making.
Both candidates described a future in which Asheville is safer, more affordable, and economically resilient. Their differences centered largely on how city government should pursue those goals—and whose interests should receive the greatest attention as Asheville rebuilds.
