Asheville emergency shelters begin to close following Tropical Storm Helene

ASHEVILLE – One of Buncombe County’s emergency shelters established after Tropical Storm Helene is scheduled to close this week, and North Carolina Emergency Management says a tentative closing date has been set for the second shelter.

The 150-bed Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Conference Center shelter will close on October 30. All remaining residents will be transferred to other shelters in the county. The Genevieve Circle shelter, which was reserved for people who depended on power for medical equipment, has since closed.

The county’s largest shelter, with 300 beds and space for pets, is located at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center. The shelter is tentatively scheduled to close on Nov. 10, according to the state Division of Emergency Management.

The only remaining shelter in Buncombe County is located at Former Golds Gym, with 140 beds and is a place of cooperation between American Red Cross and Buncombe County. This page has no scheduled closing date.

“The good news is that the Red Cross will remain operational in western North Carolina for as long as necessary,” said Mike DeCinti, the organization’s communications director in North Carolina. “We will continue to offer shelter, food and mental health services for as long as we are needed.”

Shelters are beginning to close as the number of residents staying in individual locations and in Western North Carolina declines We recently marked one month since Tropical Storm Helene. Overall, as of October 28, shelters were approximately 35% occupied.

“Reports indicate that the population is decreasing,” Justin Graney, a spokesman for North Carolina Emergency Management, said by email. “This is happening by restoring utilities and providing resources such as temporary shelter through FEMA individual assistance programs.”

Officials take into account population size and the ability of local jurisdictions to provide shelter services, and ensure that clients are offered opportunities to access as many resources as possible before shelter closures, Graney said.

As of Oct. 28, the three shelters that remained open in Buncombe County had a population of 215. Of those, 110 people were at the Western North Carolina Agricultural Center, 47 people were at the AB Tech Conference Center, and 58 people were at the former Golds Gym.

DeCinti said American Red Cross workers have also noticed declining shelter populations.

“Not only do some people choose to move out of shelters, but the Red Cross helps them find transitional housing that fits their lives,” DeCinti said. – We are observing a tendency for residents to leave shelters. This is a positive trend. Of course we want people to get back on their feet.”

Jake Allen is a staff writer for The Indianapolis Star covering the aftermath of Tropical Storm Helene for the Asheville Citizen Times. Contact him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @Jake_Allen19.