Advocacy in Action: HB 162 Is Now Law

In last month's edition of The Ledge, we discussed how excessive parking requirements can increase development costs and highlighted House Bill 162, legislation designed to provide greater flexibility for new development while encouraging more efficient land use.

We are pleased to report that the North Carolina General Assembly overwhelmingly approved HB 162 – the Parking Lot Reform / Stormwater Control Act, and on July 6, 2026, Governor Josh Stein signed the bill into law.

In announcing his decision, Governor Stein stated:

"This bill gives North Carolina another tool in the toolbox to build more homes and make housing more affordable. It increases flexibility for homeowners and homebuilders by eliminating mandatory minimum parking spaces based on occupancy in most counties. This change will lower rents for people. It also enables local governments to offer voluntary incentives for stormwater control, which can help protect property from flooding and improve community resilience."

GCAA proudly supported this legislation because it helps reduce unnecessary development costs while allowing developers to determine appropriate parking based on the needs of each community rather than one-size-fits-all government mandates.

Among other provisions, HB 162:

• Limits local government authority to impose minimum off-street parking requirements for most developments.
• Provides greater flexibility in site design and parking decisions.
• Modernizes certain stormwater requirements for qualifying redevelopment projects.
• Encourages additional housing production while helping reduce unnecessary development costs.

GCAA Thanks Our Legislative Leaders

GCAA sincerely appreciates Governor Josh Stein for supporting and signing HB 162 into law. We also want to extend a special thank you to the members of our North Carolina legislative delegation who represent communities within the GCAA footprint and voted in support of this important legislation.

Your leadership and bipartisan support of HB 162 will help reduce unnecessary regulatory barriers, encourage additional housing production, and provide greater flexibility for responsible development across North Carolina. We greatly appreciate your partnership and your commitment to advancing policies that support housing affordability and the continued growth of our communities.

House Members

Jay Adams • Jonathan Almond • Dean Arp • Mary Belk • Mark Brody • Terry Brown Jr. • Laura Budd • Grant Campbell • Becky Carney • Todd Carver • Tricia Cotham • Carla Cunningham • Aisha Dew • Brian Echevarria • Julia Greenfield • Kelly Hastings • Beth Helfrich • Cody Huneycutt • Donnie Loftis • Brandon Lofton • Carolyn Logan • Jordan Lopez • Nasif Majeed • Jeffrey McNeely • Heather Rhyne • Paul Scott • Mitchell Setzer • John Torbett • Harry Warren • David Willis

Senate Members

David Craven • Chris Measmer • Vickie Sawyer • Mujtaba Mohammed • Joyce Waddell • Caleb Theodros • Woodson Bradley • Brad Overcash • W. Ted Alexander • Mark Hollo

Why this matters for the Charlotte region

Housing affordability is influenced by many factors beyond construction costs alone. By providing greater flexibility in parking requirements and encouraging more efficient land use, HB 162 helps remove unnecessary regulatory barriers that can increase development costs and slow housing production. This legislation represents an important step toward expanding housing opportunities while supporting the continued growth and economic vitality of communities across North Carolina.