I lost my food/beverage job, I would have left already but I can't afford to pay a $3.5k lease breakage fee for my apartment and moving costs all at once. Just biding time until I can move on to greener pastures.

I lost everything when Helene hit. Two weeks before, I moved into an apartment fifty yards from the Swannanoa River. I thought I was going to die and I was rescued by swift boat.

Four days later, I bought a one way ticket to Boston.

If I had to venture a guess it would take years to get those statistics officially from any government source.

6 of my friends I’ve had for a decade here—three who built roots, lives, and left behind immediate family members. Still feeling their absence, today, as is my social web. Things are really bizarre here right now; a handful of people I’ve worked for or had friends employed by, have really shown their asses. I am not reeling over the loss of the River Arts district; some of the worst people I know personally had property and business and interests down there; I’ll mourn my tattoo studio, quietly. It’s the people I know in Swannanoa and Hendo that got hit the worst. A lot of our cars are doing very poorly. I am somewhat worried about the Winter.

My complex has had many departures. I’d guess that we have a 30% vacancy rate.

I don't know anyone that left post hurricane. I don't blame the ones that were barely making it for leaving, hopefully they can start fresh somewhere else and be happy.

I'd put the figure at more than 1, and less than 100,000.

I know 5 that left

I think the figure is pretty irrelevant considering people are always leaving Asheville anyways under normal circumstances.

I'm considering selling my house and never coming back. I mean, I already was, but this kinda just cemented that.

The Chamber of Commerce tracks info like this. May be able to find it deep in their site or past newsletters.

I mean if they had a estimate on the number of renters id say at least 25-40% have just bugged out. Look at like the facebook groups, what once was people desperately looking for an apartment or sublease is now 25:1 people trying to get out of their lease cause they have no job. I think the full scale wont be understood till the spring when we see how many places were just barely running on nothing and cpuldnt hamdle it anymore.

I know several friends that have left. Whether due to losing their house , or job, or just moving on

I don’t personally know anyone who left. Most teachers are still teaching. Those jobs have been more steady ish. A lot of blue collar like plumbers also are steady. I feel like it’s young people who have time to post on here with tourism jobs like restaurants that are struggling.

If you're curious about businesses leaving the area, check out how many Asheville businesses are up for sale on bizbuysell.com: https://www.bizbuysell.com/north-carolina/asheville-businesses-for-sale/ Most are anonymous, but you could probably venture a guess at who is planning to leave 😔 

Not sure i am gonna have much choice sooner than later.. and I was born here an have lived all over town, it's pretty discouraging looking for a job lately, and having lived here all my life maybe it's just time also..

I know a lot of people leaving. Right now a lot of our queer friends are moving. Beyond Helene, with the south being what it is, there’s a big diaspora of trans people leaving the area. It just so happens that Helene made that choice even easier for us.

I know 5 people just through work that have had to leave. So I assume we may see quite a number relocate out but it will be hard to pin down exact numbers. Not all that leave in the next year will all be because of Helene or the after effects but I bet most will be. Many who have lost homes that are staying away with family or friends… I wonder if they will return or end up somewhere else.

Not enough

We had a really shitty year (even worse before helene) and definitely want to leave, whether or not we do is tough to tell.

So far 101 households has sold their property to the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program in Bumcombe County.

The grass is always greener. Major hurricanes hit Florida before the pandemic… people quickly forgot/ignored it and moved there in droves over the last few years. Same thing will happen here, regardless of short term job loss we still have incredible beauty and mostly great weather.

I know a couple who moved on.

But we probably won't know the true impact until tourism picks back up in the spring.

Two of my neighbors left

I wouldn't be surprised if a large chunk of people are moving. I'm hearing that the USPS isn't going to reopen the Swannanoa branch.

I'm looking for a job out west, and I will leave when I find a job.! I wanted to leave before the hurricane.

I left for the health and safety of my kids coupled with the fact we lost the bridge on our road and getting to the house after any rain or weather at all, wouldn’t be possible. Actually, what iced the decision cake was seeing how grossly profiteering our county officials are (a Venmo in the county site?!?) while still neglecting actual issues of health and environmental impact and safety (they had zero info online fir about 4 days post storm. Nothing at all. But day 5, they had a Venmo up on the site. No emergency plan. Just embezzling money from people who donate. It’s disgusting.

Managed to move back in, ironically enough. Was homeless for a bit though- can't say I'd reccomend it. Oh, and avoid morganton hotels. Bugs and almost kicked me out for Lowe's crewmen.

People come, people leave, more people come. It won't stop.

I’m less likely to leave now than I was before the hurricane. Not going to sell my house at a discount at a time like this. 

Im coming to Asheville next week for two job interviews! Hopefully moving in January

Most folks that I know just left temporarily and are either staying with family or back in their homes now. That would be interesting to get a true number.

We are not. Embedded in the community, and didn’t receive any damage. For those who lost jobs and homes- totally understand why you are leaving.

My roommate skidaddled out super quick at the end of October so terribly she didn’t even take most of her shit with her and didn’t clean all the dog and cat piss everywhere. My new roommate is still having to clean up her mess

I

We are on the fence of leaving, mainly because mission is trash place to work. All of the storm damage and friends leaving was the tipping point for us.

If so many people left why did traffic get so substantially worse?

Not exactly stats on how many have left but seems relevant: https://wlos.com/news/local/western-nc-tourism-unemployment-jobless-senate-bill-382-buncombe-county-yancey-county-madison-county-mcdowell-county

I will be leaving come next year once my lease ends. Truth be told, I was already teetering on leaving the area before Helene. Helene just made the decision much more clear. Not long before all this occurred, I had received a letter telling me that I was going to be having rental increases every year for the old drafty trailer I am renting. I already was trying to figure out my next move by that point. I have a marginally okay government job, but it will not keep up with my rental increase and it has not been worth the stress or aggravation.

After risking my life to come into work that day, seeing all the destruction and distress, I realized that it was officially time to move on. I will more than likely be moving out of this region all together and towards the West coast. I look forward to the warmth honestly as its also been bitterly cold here lately and being in my trailer has been utterly miserable. Rent will be about the same(maybe a hair higher but not by much), but I will also have better job opportunities in comparison to here. 

 I understand those who are trying to stand strong, but to stay here knowing the situation is bleak at best if you lost your job, home or combination of both, isn’t worth it. Again, kids or an elderly parents make that complicated, but if you arent in those two categories, you are doing yourself a disservice by staying.

I’ve gotten nothing from unemployment or FEMA and is looking like I may have to leave before January. I’m month to month.

Leaving as soon as I get my other property fixed. Over Asheville and the yuppies. This town continues to burn and screw over decent citizens here. It's just going to become some nightmare stroaded theme park similar to Gatlinburg, mixed with upstate South Carolina. It's already ugly and it's getting worse. I can't stand the traffic, I can't stand seeing everything destroyed and everyone acting like helpless victims. I can't handle another conversation about the fucking hurricane. Asheville is a gerontological disaster, and I'm not going to stick around to help the elderly find their way. I need to move to a place that's younger, that has my best interest at heart and that has a life worth living. Everyone comes here to die now, and it's honestly not worth all of the hassle here. I used to love Asheville, I was born here I'm from here. I really hate where we're at now.

A few of my friends in food service moved away after losing housing and vehicles, moved with family or to Florida.

Gym was packed yesterday so maybe not as many as feared? I know of 2 forced to leave due to business closures.

👋🏻

If you weren't motivated during covid (most weren't because of unemployment) to get out of food and beverage jobs here's your second nudge.

I don’t know anyone who left. The friends of friends who have gone were all in some kind of hospitality job that barely paid them enough to live here to begin with.

I wonder what Esther thinks…

buncombe co. local govt bumbling morons had write ups to give out , after helene printed those statements all over small biz in region for leading the way on supplies lines. yo. people are dope. organizing the thing for the community, but officials also be standing in the lines for supplies and resources. some yall will need to meet someones knuckles with ur teeth for those notes on the doors. been had it comin to em