With the bulk of this year’s short legislative session concluded, we’re sharing highlights from our forthcoming legislative summary. While there were several wins to celebrate this year, including the passage of a long overdue state budget, several dangerous pieces of legislation are cause for ongoing concern.
The North Carolina General Assembly (NCGA) convened for the start of their short legislative session this year on April 21, 2026. On August 6, 2026 the NCGA adjourned its main voting work or sessions barring any natural disasters or special sessions until after the November election. The joint adjournment resolution SB1091 was passed by both chambers and shifts them into a skeletal session through the end of the year. However, between now and the end of the year, the NCGA is allowed to take up specific matters such as considering veto overrides, appointments or confirmations required by law, actions related to litigation, litigation, constitutional amendments, conference reports, or simple resolutions addressing organizational matters for each chamber.
Session Highlights
- In April 2026, more than 170 housing advocates from across the state joined us in Raleigh for the second annual NC Housing Day.
- In May 2026, Governor Josh Stein signed Executive Order 36 – Increasing Housing Opportunities and Affordability Across North Carolina.
- In June 2026 the NCGA finally passed a budget, and restored the Workforce Housing Loan Program (WHLP) for FY26.
Unfortunately, there were also many dangerous pieces of legislation that managed to pass during short session, two in particular give us immense concern:
Constitutional amendment property tax levy limit: HB 1089
HB1089 puts a constitutional amendment on the November midterm ballot that, if successful, would require the legislature to enact a statewide property tax levy limit. Legislation like this will not provide the relief that proponents of the bill claim it will. Our analysis shows that on average, a levy limit will save homeowners less than $100 per year while counties will lose up to 20% of their revenue for schools, infrastructure, and public safety. In addition to the significant revenue loss to counties, homeowners experience little property tax relief under a levy limit.
Criminalization of Homelessness: HB 437
HB 439 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. There is still a possibility that legislators could call a veto override vote on HB 437 when they return to session in November, depending on several factors including the outcome of the midterm elections.
Stay tuned for the release of our full short session summary next week!
