Over 820 People are Homeless in Asheville, no New Data for Rutherford County

Asheville officials say they have a clear count of people experiencing homelessness this year. In Rutherford County, leaders do not — after local partners and the county’s managed care organization backed a decision to cancel the count.

New data presented Tuesday shows Asheville identified more than 820 people experiencing homelessness, a 9.1% increase from 2025.

“This year we identified a total of 824 people experiencing homelessness,” said Emily Ball. That includes 67 children, according to their report shared during the meeting. Ball manages the city's homeless strategy department. 

City officials said 16% of the cases are tied to displacement from Helene, further straining an already limited system. The difference comes down to whether communities completed the annual Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, the federally required snapshot used by the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development to estimate homelessness and guide funding. Asheville and Buncombe County did. Rutherford County did not.

As WCAB News first reported, the unsheltered PIT Count was canceled in Rutherford and 10 other North Carolina counties under the NC Balance of State Continuum of Care, organized in part by the North Carolina Coalition to End Homelessness. That decision was made in coordination with local homeless service groups and Partners Health Management, the county’s LME/MCO responsible for managing certain services.

Local Management Entity/Managed Care Organizations (LME/MCOs) in North Carolina are regional, public agencies that manage services for mental health, substance use, intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD), and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). They manage NC Medicaid Tailored Plans and provide services for uninsured, Medicaid Direct, and state-funded recipients. Those experiencing homelessness are sometimes LME/MCO clients, but not always.

In a Feb. 2 email to partners, organizers cited safety concerns, including winter weather conditions. But multiple local sources told WCAB News those concerns extended beyond the weather.

Volunteers raised questions about entering certain areas and whether law enforcement escorts might be needed. Some worried a visible police presence could discourage people experiencing homelessness from engaging with outreach teams or sharing accurate information.

Ultimately, organizers — including local homeless service providers working with Partners — opted not to deploy volunteers for the unsheltered count. The cancellation means there will be no official tally this year of people living outdoors, in vehicles, or in other places not meant for habitation in Rutherford County.

2025 data shows there were 297 people experiencing homelessness in Rutherford County, but again, no 2026 data is available.

Federal rules still require reporting of sheltered populations and housing inventory. HUD uses the full PIT Count — including unsheltered data — to help determine how funding is distributed. Without it, people not staying in shelters may not be reflected in funding decisions.

Local sources say that could leave counties like Rutherford at a disadvantage. Volunteers, including those who were planned to be coordinated through the United Way of Rutherford County, were not deployed. Without an independent effort, officials will have no complete, current estimate of homelessness across the county. 

The NCDHHS website says if you're at risk of experiencing homelessness, contact United Way, 211.org.

By contrast, Asheville’s completed count provides a clearer picture of need — and stronger data when competing for federal resources.

Ball said the system was already under pressure before the latest increase. “We know that our homeless system was already under-resourced from before Helene,” she said.

Helene hit western NC 19 months ago. At one point, nearly 7,000 households were in FEMA-funded temporary housing in the region.

As Asheville leaders consider next steps attracting national attention, the contrast is stark: one city has updated data to guide policy and funding, while other communities are moving forward without a full count — and potentially without the policies and resources that follow.