This North Carolina bill prevents public utilities from disconnecting residential service during declared periods of extreme heat, extreme cold, or poor air quality, requiring instead that customers be offered deferred payment plans. It also allows landlords to restrict tenants from installing portable cooling or air filtration devices only under specific conditions, such as when the device violates safety codes, damages the property, or requires electrical capacity that cannot be provided. Additionally, the legislation defines what constitutes an extreme weather or air quality event based on official alerts from agencies like the National Weather Service and the Environmental Protection Agency.
HB 267 automatically expunges court records for certain eviction cases in North Carolina, directly affecting tenants (defendants) in summary ejectment proceedings. It requires clerks to automatically delete records 30 days after cases are voluntarily dismissed before a possession order is issued. For cases where defendants win on the merits or lose but wait three years, they may petition for expungement after proving housing stability (e.g., consistent rent payments and no new eviction filings). The bill takes effect October 2025, with required court forms to be developed by September 2025.
HB 404, the Fair and Affordable Housing Act, requires the Legislative Research Commission to study affordable housing availability across North Carolina - including rural and urban areas - and report findings to the 2026 General Assembly. The bill prohibits housing discrimination based on "source of income" (such as government housing vouchers, disability benefits, or rental assistance), making it illegal for landlords to refuse tenants using these payments. It also appropriates $45 million from the General Fund to the Housing Trust Fund for affordable housing development and bans credit reporting agencies from listing eviction lawsuits that don’t result in a landlord judgment. These changes directly affect renters (especially those using government assistance), landlords, housing providers, and credit agencies in North Carolina.
HB 458 requires migrant housing operators in North Carolina to request preoccupancy inspections 45 days before housing is occupied, ensuring compliance with safety and health standards like clean water, structural safety, and pest control. It directly affects housing operators (who own or manage migrant housing) and state agencies like the Department of Labor and local health departments. Key provisions include mandatory inspections before occupancy, a two-year perfect-compliance option for operators to self-inspect, and strict timelines for correcting deficiencies. The bill focuses on concrete enforcement mechanisms rather than policy outcomes, updating existing regulations to strengthen housing oversight for agricultural workers.
SB 518, the Mobile Home Park Act, creates new protections for mobile home residents and park operators in North Carolina. It requires written leases for tenancies, mandates a 90-day notice period for eviction (with exceptions for lease violations), and prohibits unfair fees like excessive entry charges. The bill also requires security deposits to be held in separate trust accounts and directs the North Carolina Human Rights Commission to regulate parks and resolve disputes. This law directly affects mobile home owners, park management, and the Commission, focusing on fair treatment and clear dispute resolution.
SB 569, the Eviction Record Expunction Act, automatically seals certain eviction court records after three years from judgment entry, for dismissed cases, tenant-victory cases, and cases involving minors under 18. It directly affects tenants with past eviction history and landlords who may otherwise deny rental applications based on those sealed records. The bill makes it illegal to deny housing based on sealed eviction records, treating such denial as unlawful discrimination under North Carolina's Fair Housing Act. This policy change applies to new eviction cases filed on or after October 1, 2025, and does not affect monetary judgments from eviction cases.
SB 432 prohibits large business entities from purchasing 100 or more single-family homes in qualifying counties (population over 150,000) for rental use. It directly affects real estate investment firms and corporations that buy homes solely as rentals, aiming to prevent artificial inflation of home prices by limiting excessive bulk acquisitions. The law defines "single-family home" as detached, semi-detached, or townhomes meeting specific separation criteria and imposes civil penalties of up to $100 per day per home for violations. Enforcement is handled by the Attorney General or individuals through civil lawsuits, with remedies including damages, attorney fees, and joint liability for affiliated entities. The bill applies to home purchases occurring on or after its effective date.
SB 395, the Disaster Relief Eviction Moratorium Act, allows North Carolina's Governor to issue an executive order banning residential evictions in declared emergency areas during disasters causing widespread job loss or economic hardship. The moratorium starts at up to 90 days, with possible 30-day extensions, for a maximum total of 180 days, and applies directly to renters and landlords in the affected area. The Governor must determine that the disaster would lead to increased homelessness without the ban, and the moratorium cannot be overridden by the General Assembly or Council of State. The bill also permits the Governor to direct state and federal funds toward rental assistance programs to support both tenants and landlords during the moratorium.
HB 879 requires landlords in North Carolina to provide and maintain operable air conditioning in residential rental units that supply AC. It directly affects landlords (who must ensure systems work at the start of each tenancy) and tenants (who gain a right to functional cooling during warm weather). The bill amends landlord obligations to explicitly mandate that air conditioning must cool premises to a reasonable indoor temperature, with repairs required upon written tenant notice (except emergencies). This applies to all new rental agreements and renewals entered into after the law takes effect. The legislation focuses on ensuring basic comfort and safety by making AC a standard maintenance requirement, not a discretionary amenity.
