AANC Government Affairs Update | April 24, 2025
NC UPDATE
The North Carolina legislature is on “spring break” this week, after a very busy week leading up to Easter. During the current legislative session, there have been over a thousand bills filed in the House and over 750 filed in the Senate. Housing is one of the hot-button issues this session and AANC is monitoring dozens of those bills because many of them could have an impact on the multifamily housing industry.
The bills we paid particular attention to last week were House Bill 765 (Local Government Development Regulations Omnibus) and House Bill 768 (Clarify Emergency Communications Exemptions/Fire Code). Both bills were taken up by the House’s Housing and Development Committee and were passed.
House Bill 765 is not popular with local municipalities for, among other things, limiting their ability to regulate the development process beyond what is allowed by statute and adding requirements for timeliness and efficiency in the entitlement and inspection processes. AANC was among an interesting group of organizations supporting the bill in principle, including the home builders, realtors, and Carolina Forward, which typically is associated with more progressive political causes. HB 765 had bi-partisan support among legislators that often are on opposite sides of issues; most Democrats who support the bill do so because they perceive a need to generate more affordable housing for their communities and overly strict regulation is a hindrance to developing that housing. This reasoning lines up with the Republicans’ traditional position that over regulation is a hindrance to development in general.
HB 765 is now in the House Rules committee.
House Bill 768 deals with a technical issue regarding emergency responder radio communications (ERRC) in commercial buildings. Without getting too technical, suffice it to say that if the bill were not to pass there would be a significant cost added to the construction of most multifamily properties. This issue came to the attention of AANC’s Regulatory Committee last year and they have been working diligently to address the issue with the leadership of the state fire marshal’s group, and we believe one reason that the bill has not been controversial is those discussions helped inform the language in the bill.
HB 768 is now in the House Committee on Emergency Management and Disaster Recovery.
Much of our work this year is on the development side of the industry, which is a change from our usual landlord-tenant legislative focus. Yet, there is still work to be done under the landlord-tenant umbrella, with several bills being monitored by AANC. We will provide updates on these in coming weeks.
All in all, there is still plenty of action in store for this legislative session. Crossover deadline, which is the date when any legislation to be considered must pass one chamber to be sent to the other, is May 8 and we expect a flurry of activity before then, so stay tuned!
Links of Interest:
- FEMA will stop matching 100% of Helene recovery money in North Carolina | FEMA has denied North Carolina’s request to continue matching 100% of the state’s spending on Hurricane Helene recovery.
- REINS Act clears NC House, requiring legislative oversight for costly rules | The North Carolina House of Representatives has passed House Bill 402, the “Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act,” a significant move aimed at increasing legislative oversight of state agency rulemaking.
PIEDMONT TRIAD UPDATE
Information provided by the Piedmont Triad Apartment Association (PTAA)
NIMBYism alive and well. While Greensboro has challenged itself to build 10,000 homes with full city council support, stumbling blocks remain. Earlier this week, the Greensboro City Council voted 6-2 for eight new townhomes in the Irving Park neighborhood. A short drive away, the Winston-Salem/Forsyth Planning approved 138 townhomes in the Union Cross area on a 5-1 vote. What was consistent between these two instances? Opposition from neighbors—change in character, traffic, the usual. However, a person in opposition to the Union Cross development said one of the quiet parts out loud that this development targets “people that don’t even live in Kernersville who are coming to the area because they are young professionals.”
The PTAA continues to educate and engage with the communities across our twelve-county area on the benefits of multifamily housing and supporting regional economic development.
The PTAA needs a volunteer to help vet candidates for Greensboro and Kernersville city councils. Both of these communities have municipal elections this year that can define the direction of their development for some time. As we’ve previously discussed, there’s a parade of candidates in Greensboro with names new and old running. We’re looking for a volunteer or two to join us on candidate panels with TREBIC and other industry partners. Email Ben Brockschmidt ASAP if you want to be a part of this.
TRIANGLE UPDATE
Information provided by the Triangle Apartment Association (TAA)
Sharon Peterson, Wake County’s Long-Range Planning Administrator, and Dr. Jennie-Ann Cole, Division Director at Wake County, joined TAA’s Government Affairs Committee to share the latest insights on population growth and rental housing trends. Their data-rich presentation sparked thoughtful discussion and highlighted key challenges and opportunities ahead.
NATIONAL UPDATES | Links of Interest
- Tax Policy Headlines Advocate 2025 | Hundreds of rental housing professionals convened in the nation’s capital to advocate for housing policy solutions.
- Regulatory Wins: Supporting Housing Affordability and Lowering Costs Through Deregulation | Bolstering the industry’s long-term viability, NAA is leading the way toward responsible housing policy solutions.
- YIGBY Movement Creates Innovative Housing Shortage Response | The Yes In God’s Back Yard (YIGBY) movement is gaining momentum across the country, offering an innovative approach to address the nation’s housing supply crisis.