North Carolina HB 1056: WC/COVID-19/Cover Essential Workers.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
H 1
HOUSE BILL 1056

Short Title: Relieving Housing Bottlenecks. (Public)
Sponsors: Representatives Alston, Lopez, Prather, and Dahle (Primary Sponsors).
For a complete list of sponsors, refer to the North Carolina General Assembly web site.
Referred to: Appropriations, if favorable, Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House
April 28, 2026
*H1056-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO ALLOW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN ALL COMMERCIAL ZONES, 2
TO PROHIBIT MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS, TO REQUIRE THE NORTH 3
CAROLINA HOUSING FINANCE AGENCY TO ESTABLISH A MUNICIPAL 4
HOUSING APPROVAL ACCELERATION PROGRAM, TO PRESERVE 5
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMEOWNERSHIP, TO ESTABLISH A WORKFORCE HOUSING 6
PRECONSTRUCTION REVOLVING LOAN PROGRAM, AND TO PROVIDE 7
ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE NORTH CAROLINA HOUSING FINANCE 8
AGENCY. 9
Whereas, housing costs in North Carolina have risen sharply over the past decade, 10
with median home prices increasing by more than 50 percent statewide since 2015 and rents 11
rising significantly in both urban and rural communities; and 12
Whereas, more than one in three renter households in North Carolina are cost 13
burdened, paying over 30 percent of their income toward housing, and hundreds of thousands of 14
households face severe cost burdens, paying more than half of their income for housing; and 15
Whereas, wages for many working families have not kept pace with rising housing 16
costs, placing homeownership further out of reach and increasing financial strain on teachers, 17
first responders, health care workers, and service employees; and 18
Whereas, North Carolina continues to experience strong population growth, adding 19
thousands of new residents each year, while housing production has failed to keep pace with 20
demand, resulting in low vacancy rates and sustained upward pressure on prices; and 21
Whereas, regulatory barriers, infrastructure constraints, and lengthy or unpredictable 22
approval processes increase the cost and time required to build housing, limiting supply and 23
contributing to higher prices; and 24
Whereas, expanding housing supply and removing unnecessary bottlenecks are 25
essential to restoring affordability, strengthening workforce stability, and ensuring that North 26
Carolina remains competitive and accessible for current and future residents; and 27
Whereas, the General Assembly declares that addressing housing affordability is an 28
urgent statewide priority and that effective, supply-focused policy reforms are necessary to 29
reduce costs and support price-burdened households across North Carolina; Now, therefore, 30
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 31
32
PART I. ALLOW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN ALL COMMERCIAL ZONES 33
SECTION 1.1. Article 7 of Chapter 160D of the General Statutes is amended by 34
adding a new section to read: 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 House Bill 1056-First Edition
"§ 160D-707. Residential development allowed in all commercial zones. 1
(a) In all areas and districts zoned for commercial use, a local government shall allow 2
residential development by right at a density and intensity no less than that allowed in the least 3
restrictive residential zoning district in the jurisdiction in which residential development is 4
permitted by right. 5
(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to apply to areas zoned for industrial use or 6
to supersede or diminish any applicable building code, fire code, or other general public health 7
and safety regulations or other building design elements generally applicable to residential 8
development." 9
SECTION 1.2. This Part becomes effective July 1, 2027, and applies to permit 10
applications submitted on or after that date. 11
12
PART II. PROHIBIT PARKING MINIMUMS 13
SECTION 2.1. G.S. 160D-702 reads as rewritten: 14
"§ 160D-702. Grant of power. 15
... 16
(c) A zoning or other development regulation shall not do any of the following: 17
(1) Set a minimum square footage of any structures subject to regulation under 18
the North Carolina Residential Code. 19
(2) Require a or otherwise establish a minimum size, placement, configuration, 20
allocation, location, or number of parking space to be larger than 9 feet wide 21
by 20 feet long unless the parking space is designated for handicap, parallel, 22
or diagonal parking.spaces, except as required by the Americans with 23
Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. § 12101, et seq., as amended, or federal 24
regulations promulgated under that Act. 25
(3) Require additional fire apparatus access roads into developments of one- or 26
two-family dwellings that are not in compliance with the required number of 27
fire apparatus access roads into developments of one- or two-family dwellings 28
set forth in the Fire Code of the North Carolina Residential Code for One- and 29
Two-Family Dwellings. 30
...." 31
SECTION 2.2. This Part becomes effective July 1, 2027, and applies to ordi