Amber Banks

Ms Banks is a lifelong resident of Western North Carolina, coming from several generations of Buncombe County natives. Graduating from AC Reynolds High School with high honors, Ms Banks has been involved in recent years with the struggle for affordable housing in Asheville.

A board member since December 2020, she first joined ABCLT in November of 2019. She began attending board meetings and volunteering with the Community Relations Committee and Governance Committee before being voted onto the board.

In addition to serving on the Board of the community land trust, she is a member of the Asheville City’s Affordable Housing Advisory Committee, which advises the City Council on policies and projects revolving around affordable housing for Asheville residents. She is also a member of Just Economics of WNC, where she sits on the Policy and Advocacy Committee and part of the Affordable Housing Strategy Team. Additionally, she has previous experience with organizations like Showing Up for Racial Justice and the Real Asheville Initiative and is a regular attendee of city council meetings.

Personally, Ms Banks has experience with the housing crisis in Asheville. As a single woman on disability, she has experienced extended homelessness on multiple occasions. She has had to navigate the difficult, and at times dangerous, housing situation in Asheville. Her dedication to pursuing affordable housing policy with a focus on equity is rooted in a personal understanding of the real cost of this issue.

Ms Banks is excited to join the community land trust in seeking innovative solutions to the housing crisis in her community.