North Carolina is in a housing shortage. As a result, there isn’t a single county in our state where someone working full time earning minimum wage can afford a 1 or 2 bedroom apartment at fair market rent without being cost-burdened (spending more than 30% of their income on housing). Our state is facing a supply gap of over 760,000 units in the next five years, creating an environment in which more than 1.2 million North Carolinians (homeowners and renters) are cost burdened.
These are just a few reasons why the North Carolina Housing Coalition’s 2027-28 Legislative Agenda priorities cover funding, land use & development, and protections for homeowners & renters. Using the results of a statewide survey and expertise from advocates, practitioners, and professionals across the state, the NC Housing Coalition (NCHC) has developed their 2027-28 Legislative Agenda in a way that addresses both needs and solutions that are critical for housing in North Carolina. The agenda has three core policy areas:
Invest in Housing and Infrastructure
North Carolina must invest more in housing supply, infrastructure, and preservation in order to meet the scale of our housing needs.
Create & Preserve Housing Supply
North Carolina must eliminate exclusionary land use practices and implement policies that protect, not hinder, the development and preservation of affordable housing supply.
Deliver Housing Relief & Protections
North Carolina needs targeted housing relief, protections, and intentional coordinated investment in housing preservation, long-term recovery, and resiliency.
Within each area, there are four policy priorities, with a total of 12 policy priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Some of the top priorities include:
Increase the base allocation of the NC Housing Trust fund to at least $20M per year of the biennium.
Increase and make recurring the Workforce Housing Loan Program (WHLP), raising it to $50M per year of the biennium.
Amend the S445 Regulatory Reform bill by removing population thresholds that inhibit the expansion of residential development by right.
Eliminate or reduce minimum lot size requirements for residential development.
Modernize existing property tax relief programs to provide true relief for cost-burdened homeowners in North Carolina.
Pass bipartisan legislation to seal eviction records, sealing records 3 years after judgement, or 1 year if dismissed in the tenant’s favor.
This Tuesday, October 20, 2026 at 12:30pm, Stephanie Watkins-Cruz, the Director of Housing Policy at NCHC will be dive into the specific legislative priorities within NCHC’s core agenda areas, and discuss why building new and stronger pro-housing and affordable housing advocate relationships and coalitions is a critical piece of accomplishing these wins in the upcoming legislative session.
Housing Month starts on Thursday, Oct 22nd!
Join CITYBUILDER and the North Carolina Housing Coalition for a month of housing events - including NCHC's signature event, the NC Affordable Housing Conference (10/22-10/23), and YIMBYtown (11/17-11/19) — the nation's pro-housing conference, coming to Raleigh for the first time ever.
Join us for all things housing this month!
Stephanie Watkins-Cruz is the Director of Housing Policy for the North Carolina Housing Coalition, where she draws on her lived experience and training in development finance, public administration, and planning to foster collaboration and address community needs. She is passionate about affordable housing and believes in the creativity, commitment, and conviction it takes to get it right.