Buncombe County Halts Further STR Restrictions to Focus on Helene Recovery

10/6/2025

Buncombe County, North Carolina, has paused plans to further restrict short-term rentals to focus on recovery from Hurricane Helene. The county’s Short-Term Rental Ad Hoc Committee, created to advise on vacation rental regulations, will not reconvene as planned. Tourism, a $3 billion industry in the region, heavily relies on lodging and visitor spending. As of 2024, 5,428 short-term rentals operated locally. Post-Helene, the county implemented emergency measures converting some STRs into long-term housing for displaced residents.

Spectrum News 1 (NC) (09/29/25) Darrielle Fair

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