2025 Legislative Recap

The Greater Charlotte Apartment Association (GCAA) is pleased to report progress on several key legislative priorities during the 2025 session of the North Carolina General Assembly. On Thursday, June 26, the NC General Assembly adjourned for a substantial break, but passed several pieces of legislation that we had been monitoring.  The following bills were supported by GCAA and have passed both chambers of the legislature:

🏠 HB 96 – Expedited Removal of Unauthorized Occupants (“Squatters” Bill)

• Establishes a legal process allowing landlords to petition for the swift removal of individuals unlawfully occupying a property without a lease or legal claim.

• Authorizes law enforcement to act within 24 hours of a magistrate’s order, helping protect property owners from squatters and fraudulent occupants.

📻 HB 768 – Firefighter Radio Coverage Exemptions

• Now signed into law by Governor Cooper (June 26, 2025).

• Exempts certain buildings—such as apartments under 75 feet with fewer than 150 units, single-family homes, low-rise motels, and small commercial spaces—from having to install costly emergency responder radio systems when they are not deemed necessary.

• Helps reduce development and retrofit costs while maintaining emergency communication standards in higher-risk buildings.

🚦 HB 948 – The P.A.V.E. Act (Projects for Advancing Vehicle-Infrastructure Enhancements)

• Authorizes Mecklenburg County to place a 1% local sales and use tax referendum on the ballot, dedicated exclusively to transportation improvements.

• Revenue distribution:

  • 40% toward road infrastructure (bike lanes, sidewalks, EV charging stations, and maintenance).

  • 60% toward public transportation (buses, rail, and micro-transit).

• Creates a Metropolitan Public Transportation Authority to oversee investment and ensure accountability.

• Next steps:

  • The Mecklenburg County Board of Commissioners must vote to place the referendum on the November 4, 2025 ballot.

  • If approved by voters, the tax would be implemented beginning in October 2026.

All bills above, except HB 768, are currently awaiting signature or veto by Governor Roy Cooper. The GCAA will continue to monitor their status closely and provide members with updates once they are officially enacted.