Closing shelters, vehicle repairs, debris

Buncombe County Helene’s recovery briefing on Thursday, November 7 covered debris collection, Habitat for Humanity property conditions, storm shelter closures and more.

Also included were daily updates on food and water distribution and locations of community care centers where showers, laundry and other supplies are available.

Briefings go live on the Buncombe County Facebook page at 11am on weekdays. On the page you will also find recordings of previous briefings. Here’s what was discussed at Thursday’s briefing.

Free vehicle repairs after Helene and Habitat for Humanity

Local nonprofit Working Wheels is providing free vehicle repairs to relief organizations and helping to secure affordable, reliable vehicles for families affected by the storm. Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity has also launched a Disaster Repair program, which provides assistance to low-income homeowners with storm-related repairs. Visit workingwheelswnc.org And ashevillehabitat.org for more information.

Andy Barnett, director of Habitat for Humanity in the Asheville area, shared that all staff and homeowner families are safe after the storm. There was no significant damage in the residential areas.

Government offices closed for Veterans Day

Buncombe County government offices, including the courthouse, sheriff’s office, health and human services and more, will be closed Monday, November 11, in observance of Veterans Day. Emergency locations and community care stations remain open.

The Buncombe County Veterans Services Office offers a wide range of services for veterans and their families. This includes support for disability compensation, survivor benefits and more. More information at buncombecounty.org/veterans.

Debris collection

County Manager Avril Pinder said the county has received many questions about storm debris collection. She reminded the public that trucks operate seven days a week, including holidays. There is no exact schedule like with waste collection, but several passes will be made. The debris is collected on private roads and priority roads. But first the passages are completed.

Pinder added that more than 95,000 cubic yards of debris have been collected. Ten million cubic meters have been identified across the province. Currently, the county is working to form a program for the removal and demolition of private property. The US Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA and NC officials are working together on this effort.

If there is debris on your private property that poses a safety risk and you cannot prioritize it, you may be eligible for this program. In particular, Pinder suggested that people who do not have insurance for debris removal or have exhausted their insurance benefits should sign up when the program becomes available.

Community care stations

Community Care Centers are open daily from 7am to 7pm with showers, laundry facilities and more. All community care centers now have ADA accessible showers and bathrooms. You can drop off and collect laundry at Swannanoa Ingles.

Community care station locations include:

Parking lot at Home Store
Big Lots / Innsbrook Shopping Centre
Buncombe County Sports Park
Bethel United Methodist
Fairview Ingles
Swannanoa Ingles
Owen Pool
Morgan Hill Baptist Church

Where to get food and water in Buncombe County

Water and ready-to-eat meals are available daily at distribution locations at:

Sky Lanes bowling alley
Black Mountain Ingles
Swannanoa Ingles
Linwood Crump Shiloh Community Center
Pak Square Park
Buncombe County Sports Park
Fairview Ingles

Disaster shelters close

The American Red Cross is supporting the transition of disaster shelter operations to the Western Carolina Rescue Mission. This will happen on Saturday, November 10, to ensure continuity of care for disaster-affected people currently in shelters. There are still 164 people staying in disaster shelters in the province. The Red Cross is working with these people to help promote stability. The WNC Ag Center shelter will close on November 10 and residents with ongoing shelter needs can transfer to the Gold’s Gym location, where services will continue through December 31.

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at [email protected].