In response to residents requests, the City of Asheville is extending the deadline to apply to be a member of the Community Reparations Commission until January 15.
The opportunity to serve is available to all residents of Asheville and Buncombe County and can be found online.
ONLINE FORMS:
- Neighborhood Candidate Interest Form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M6CG2MH
- Impact Focus Area Application: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/M66QM5C
- Support Interest Form: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/B8V6XT7
Background:
The Community Reparations Commission is charged with developing recommendations to be presented to the City Council and County Commission to repair the harm done by decades of racial discrimination and systemic oppression against Black Asheville residents. The reparations process in Asheville will focus on five impact areas which include housing, economic development, health, education, and criminal justice.
The Commission will be composed of 25 members; 15 commission members will be nominated by persons from historically impacted neighborhoods, to include public housing and former historically African American neighborhoods (for example Stumptown). These members will be selected through a neighborhood nomination process and the selection is at the discretion of the neighborhood organizations who submit the nomination.
If you are interested, please contact one of these neighborhood associations. A neighborhood contact list is available on the City of Asheville Neighborhood Services webpage. The remaining members of the Community Reparations Commission representing the five impact focus areas will be approved by City Council with five seat appointments and five seat appointments by the Buncombe County Commissioners. The Community Reparations Commission members will contribute approximately 5-10 hours per month, possibly up to 18 to 24 months.