Turnabout
The Airbnb wars take a decisive turn as Council passes a new ban in an attempt to halt a wave of housing losses Above: Asheville City Council member Vijay Kapoor, who asserted that the nearly-citywide ban on whole home/apartment Airbnbs was necessary due to the…
The Airbnb wars, a primer
Just before a major Council vote, here’s a look at the issue that’s rocked Asheville, one that remains highly complex and as brutally simple as power, money and displacement Above: part of a map from the 2016 Blade investigation into the city’s clampdown on illegal Airbnb-style…
Where we are now
The story behind a new Council, deep divides, a historic election and the fight over the heart of a city Above: the new Asheville City Council, shortly after its Dec. 5 swearing-in ceremony. Photo by Max Cooper. Ceremonies are revealing things. The one that took…
Sleepless summer
White supremacy, the failures of Asheville liberalism and one activist’s journey through grassroots organizing during a revealing summer in our city Above: Protesters, including the author, try to pry a plaque lauding Robert E. Lee off a monument in the middle of downtown. Photo by…
Escalation time
A major Airbnb showdown is delayed (until tonight) as new information emerges that the industry is gobbling up more housing than before and the river remains a major battleground in the city’s future Above: a key part of the Oct. 24 presentation on the city’s…
Doubling down
A split Council passes a controversial budget and affordable housing deal, showing how the battle lines have shifted after a contentious political season Above: Council member Keith Young vied with his colleagues at the June 13 meeting, criticizing both a city budget than included a…
Worlds collide
A public showdown at City Hall sets the stage for the final act of the budget wars and marks the end of a political era Above: Luis Serapio, one of the first interpreters at an Asheville City Council meeting, translating the meeting into Spanish on…
The tale of two budget expansions
City officials have treated two budget expansions — for police and transit — in ways that are very different and revealing about local government priorities Above: City Hall by night, photo by Max Cooper. Tomorrow, Asheville City Council is set to vote on the City’s…
About Asheville’s Government, a primer
Stemming from the successful ‘About Asheville’s Government’ presentations, here’s a handy list of resources, links and context about your local government Above: City Hall under renovation, photo by Bill Rhodes Welcome back, readers. I was fortunate enough to engage with many of you during our…
Reply hazy
It’s the most contentious budget year in over a decade and as the public ramps up to officially weigh in, many key parts of the city’s $174 million budget remain undetermined or unclear Above: Asheville by night, photo by Bill Rhodes. From policing to the…
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