In addition to Code Purple, 50 nightly, referral-only Winter Shelter beds are available across the community provided by Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministries (ABCCM), Jubilee Alternative Micro Shelter (JAMS), and Winter Safe Shelter.
Follow the Asheville Homeless Coalition on Facebook for up-to-date shelter information. First responders, including Buncombe County Community Paramedics, are working alongside service providers to connect and transport people who are houseless to
Here is a list of community resources that will provide shelter and transportation to houseless persons during this weather event.
ABCCM Veterans Restoration Quarters
1329 Tunnel Rd
828-259-5333
Population-Single Men
Transit route-WE2, 170
ABCCM Transformation Village
30 Olin Haven Way
828-259-5365
Population-Single Women/Women with children
Transit route-W2
Families in need of Code Purple should contact ABCCM to make shelter arrangements.
Transportation
ABCCM will provide shuttle service with pickups at its Crisis Ministry (24 Cumberland Ave.) Call ABCCM to check for shuttle times.
ART
Bus transit through ART is free to Code Purple sites at night and from Code Purple sites to downtown the following morning. NOTE: ART will not run December 25.
Background
Code Purple is the phrase used in Buncombe County by community partners to notify that emergency, overflow shelters are operational during cold weather times. Code Purple is called by the Asheville Homeless Coalition Co-Chair (Kevin Mahoney or Melanie Robertson) 48 hours in advance. The decision to call Code Purple is based on a forecast of 32 degrees or below (including windchill) from the National Weather Service . If the forecast is borderline, providers will make the decision together. Once Code Purple is called, emergency services, including shelters and county paramedics, galvanize to shelter unhoused individuals for the night.
ABCCM is one of the providers offering Code Purple shelters during the 2022-2023 winter season. Code Purple shelters are the Veterans Restoration Quarters located at 1329 Tunnel Road (828-259-5333) for men and ABBCM Transformation Village located at 30 Olin Haven Way (828-259-5365) for single women and women with children.
Transportation on ART is free during Code Purple events. The ART Bus Station is located at 49 Coxe Avenue (828-253-5691). Schedules, maps, and passes may be picked up at the station, which is open Monday through Saturday from 6:00 am to 12:00 am, and Sundays and holidays from 8:30 am -6:00 pm. Schedule is subject to change. For more information, please click on www.ridetheart.com .
If there are medical emergencies among individuals who are unhoused, Buncombe County Emergency Medical Services should be called at 828-318-4179.
Get local alerts sent straight to your smartphone, email, or home phone with Buncombe County CodeRED. Residents who sign up will receive critical emergency communications updates about important but non-emergency information such as Code Purple alerts, office closures, service updates, and more. Sign up by texting BCAlert to 99411 or click here.