Buncombe County officials report surge in demand for winter shelter beds

Buncombe County officials told commissioners that this winter’s cold-weather operations have seen a sharp increase in shelter usage, stressing staffing and prompting questions about funding and longer-term solutions.

At the Feb. 3 Buncombe County Board of Commissioners meeting, Community Development Homelessness Program manager Lacy Hoyle said the system has sheltered large numbers with limited resources. “We’ve sheltered large numbers of our unhoused community with very limited resources,” Hoyle said, adding, “I’ve been very impressed and very grateful with what we’ve been able to do with the resources that we have.” She warned that demand has been higher than expected: “We are seeing a huge level of need this year, I think more than any of us were anticipating.”

Officials presented utilization figures showing intense pressure on nightly overflow operations. There were 11 Code Purple days from Jan. 1–19, and 500 beds used during that period, a figure reported as “beds used (not unique visitors).” County staff also reported a total of 745 beds used to date, which the presentation characterized as “there have been 745 beds used (not unique visitors), or about 68 people per night,” with overages primarily at the men’s facility. The county cautioned that bed counts do not equal unique individuals sheltered.

Emergency Services Assistant Director Ryan Cole recapped storm response operations and praised personnel, saying, “Everybody came in prepared to work for 72 hours.” Cole said 105 shelter staff worked during weekend storms, including nurses, social workers and Buncombe County Sheriff’s deputies. Hoyle emphasized staffing as a core constraint: “I think the larger issue has been staffing,” noting that winter weather makes it difficult for some staff and volunteers to reach sites.

Commissioners pressed officials on fiscal and strategic questions. Commissioner Drew Ball asked whether high usage could exhaust Code Purple funding, and Hoyle said providers are being careful with funds. Commissioner Al Whitesides asked officials to consider root causes and fiscal prudence, asking, “Are we spending our tax dollars wisely?” Commission Chair Amanda Edwards requested further updates, asking for more details on homelessness issues and additional sheltering plans in the coming weeks.

Operational policy remains governed by the Continuum of Care plan approved for Nov. 1, 2025 through April 30, 2026. Buncombe County’s Code Purple page states, “Code Purple is a coordinated effort among Buncombe County and Asheville shelters to alert and provide emergency overflow shelters to unhoused individuals during cold weather.” Activation criteria include forecasts of 32 degrees or below, or 33–40 degrees with precipitation.

For residents looking to support operations, winter shelter sites and Code Purple locations in Asheville include Safe Shelter at 27 Balm Grove (women, 10 beds; transit W2, W1, W6), Safe Shelter at 91 New Leicester Hwy (men, 40 beds; transit WE1 West), ABCCM Transformation Village at 30 Olin Haven Way (women and women with children, 35 beds; transit W2), Salvation Army at 204 Haywood Street (men, 16 beds; transit W5, WE1 West, WE2 West), and Homeward Bound: AHOPE at 19 N. Ann Street (couples and people with pets, 20 beds; transit W6, WE1 West, WE2 West). Winter Shelter coordinators Erin Fowler and Karen Hayes-Roberts can be reached at erin@counterflowasheville.com and karen@counterflowasheville.com or by phone at (828) 785-4855 to inquire about volunteering.

Officials note a minor discrepancy in published season end dates: one county reference lists nightly Winter Shelter through March 30, while another lists March 31; the Continuum of Care plan runs through April 30 for Code Purple activations. The surge in use underscores both immediate operational strains and the policy tension commissioners flagged between meeting urgent needs and addressing root causes. Expect follow-up briefings and more detailed budget and staffing plans in the coming weeks as county leaders assess how to sustain shelter operations through the remainder of the season.