Organizational Update
Survey Open: Participate in Our 2027-2028 Policy Agenda Development
In preparation for next year’s long state legislative session, the NC Housing Coalition is developing our 2027-2028 Policy Agenda, and we need your input. Every two years, we consult our membership across the housing ecosystem–from homelessness services to affordable housing development–in order to build a robust, high-impact policy agenda that addresses housing Supply, Subsidy, Stability, and Systems in North Carolina. This policy agenda will guide our state legislative advocacy for the next two years, which is why it is critical to get your perspective and expertise. Share your input for our 2027-2028 Policy Agenda by July 12, and be on the lookout for more updates as we develop our legislative priorities with you.
Federal Updates
21st Century ROAD to Housing Act Passes in the House; Stalls on the President’s Desk
After months of negotiations, the House and Senate finally passed the first comprehensive bipartisan housing package in over a decade.last week. President Trump’s aides expressed his approval of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act legislation, which included some of his priorities. But shortly before the signing ceremony was scheduled to take place on Wednesday, June 24, Trump abruptly changed course and announced he would not sign the housing bill until Congress passes the SAVE Act – unrelated voting legislation that could block millions of eligible American citizens from being able to vote.
Yesterday, Speaker Mike Johnson officially sent the legislation to the President, which starts a 10-day window for the president to either sign the bill, veto it, or let it sit and become law without his signature. If the President vetoes the bill, both the Senate and House will need to pass it again with a ⅔ majority, which they have.
Click here for a summary of what’s included in the final piece of legislation.
State Updates
Legislative Updates
HB437 – Concurrence vote in the House today
HB 437 passed the Senate last week and will return to the House today for a concurrence vote. This is a dangerous bill targeting the most vulnerable North Carolinians. Rather than focusing on solutions, this bill criminalizes their crisis and adds more legal and financial pressures to the local communities and governments trying to serve them.
Thank you to all of the more than 250 individuals and organizations who signed on to our letter opposing this bill! We received overwhelming support in speaking out against this bill from members across our housing ecosystem, including developers, local government, service providers, practitioners, ministers of faith, and advocates.
The House Convenes at 10:30 this morning with HB 437 on the agenda for a concurrence vote. Stream it live here.
HB162 – Passing the Senate this afternoon
Today (6/30), H 162 is going before the Senate. The bill would prohibit local governments from requiring a minimum number of off-street parking spaces and amend the current restriction on the regulation of parking space dimensions to apply to off-street parking spaces. Director of Housing Policy Stephanie Watkins-Cruz spoke to the Senate Agriculture committee on June 10 in support of eliminating parking minimums. The bill is expected to pass.
Click here to see our updated bill tracker.
2026 State Budget
Today (6/30) the NCGA released an updated version of the 2026 budget (SB257) after over 1000 days without a comprehensive budget. Late Sunday evening (6/28) a budget deal was released, and while a few drafts were leaked on Monday 6/29, the version released looks promising for the various housing appropriations we follow year after year. Highlights are as follows:
Key Housing Appropriations (2026-2027):
- $35M transferred to the Housing Reserve, which will be transferred to the NC Housing Finance Agency in non-recurring funds for 2026-2027.
- $10M for the Housing Trust Fund
- $25M for the Workforce Housing Loan Program (WHLP)
- Low-Income Housing Energy Assistance Block Grant Program – $56.3M
Disaster Recovery Housing-Related Appropriations:
- $35M in grants for VOADs (Volunteer Organizations Against Disasters) for actual and ongoing housing repair and reconstruction projects.
- $2.6M in grants for long term recovery groups for direct assistance activities as defined by HUD.
- $40M – to the Division of Community Revitalization for the Temporary Relocation Assistance Program.
In addition to these appropriations, there is policy language within the budget text that also covers building code changes, and further streamlining of development regulation and land use reform. Staff is continuing to analyze this language and will be releasing a more comprehensive overview in the coming week. Votes are expected to happen this week or next at the latest.
Disaster Recovery Housing Updates
Asheville City Council approves CDBG-DR Action Plan Amendment to accelerate home repairs
Local Headlines
The City of Salisbury to Convert Former Textile Mill into Multifamily Affordable Housing Units | Yield Pro
Longtime residents vacate Charlotte mobile home park, before land houses new apartments | WBTV
WNC & Associates Celebrates Opening of 72-Unit Affordable Senior Housing Community in Fayetteville | citybiz
Reports, Events, and Resources
National Low Income Housing Coalition 2025 National Renter Survey
- Experiences with Moving: Unaffordable rents were both a motivator and a barrier to moving. Among renters who considered or took steps toward moving in the last two years, but did not ultimately move, 38.4% cited being unable to afford their current rent as a reason why they wanted to move. Seventy percent of these almost-movers said they did not move because they could not find a home with affordable rent.
- Housing Costs & Housing Assistance: Renters who identify as Black or African American, who have or live with someone who has a disability or chronic health condition, or who live in lower-income households reported struggling to pay rent more frequently over the last two years than other demographic groups.
- Accessibility Needs in Rental Housing: About 10.2 million adult renters in the U.S. either need or live with someone who needs accessibility features to live safely and independently. Most renters’ household accessibility needs are going unmet; at least 65.0% of renters who need mobility features and 77.1% of renters who need sensory features do not have them in their current home.
- Safe & Habitable Rental Housing: Four of five renters (79.9%) agreed that rental homes should be required to pass periodic inspections conducted by an authorized agency to ensure those homes are safe to live in.
[webinar] National Low Income Housing Coalition, Disaster Housing Recovery: Advocacy Toolkit Training, Tuesday, June 30, 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. ET. Learn more and register here.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness is hosting their 2026 conference and Capitol Hill Day from July 8-10 in D.C. Standard rate: $985. Learn more and register here.
Charlotte Planners’ Meetup | NC Chapter of the American Planning Association, Thursday, July 9 from 6-8 p.m. at Hopfly Brewing in Southend. Open to all planners and related fields.
