State Rep. Vernetta Alston has introduced new legislation in the North Carolina House intended to reduce housing shortages by adjusting local development standards and curbing corporate acquisitions of residential properties, according to the North Carolina State House.
Formally filed as House Bill 1056 on April 27 during the 2025 regular session, it carries the short title: ‘Relieving Housing Bottlenecks.’
We have summarized the key points below based on the official bill text, with clarifications for easier understanding.
This proposed bill would address housing availability and affordability by directing local governments to permit residential development in all commercial zones at density levels no lower than the least restrictive residential district starting July 1, 2027. It also prohibits local minimum parking mandates aside from those related to federal disability requirements. The measure establishes a state program to reimburse municipalities that expedite housing permits and creates a revolving loan program to fund short-term preconstruction costs of workforce housing, prioritizing lower-tier counties. Corporations would be capped at 25 rental or speculative single-family home purchases across the state, enforced by the attorney general, with this rule becoming effective Oct. 1, 2026. Funding includes $120 million for the municipal reimbursement initiative and a $40 million reallocation to the revolving loan fund.
Among the four bill sponsors, Lindsey Prather introduced the highest number of bills during the 2025 session, sponsoring 35.
North Carolina bills must go through a multi-step lawmaking process. A bill must be filed by a legislator, receive a committee assignment, and then be read on three separate occasions in both chambers. Should amendments arise after one chamber’s passage, both chambers must reconcile any differences. After both chambers approve an identical version, the bill proceeds to the governor—who has either 10 or, if the legislature is adjourned, 30 days—to either sign, veto, or allow it to become law without a signature.
Further details on this bill and other legislative activity are available here.
Alston is an alumna of North Carolina State University (BA, 2004) and earned her JD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2009.
Alston, a Democrat, began serving in the North Carolina House in 2020 as the representative for District 29, succeeding MaryAnn Black.
| Authors | Bill Number | Date Filed | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vernetta Alston, Allison A. Dahle, Jordan Lopez, and Lindsey Prather | HB 1056 | 04/27/2026 | Relieving Housing Bottlenecks. |
| Vernetta Alston, Eric Ager, and Tim Longest | HB 1065 | 04/27/2026 | Prepared Foods Sales Tax Modification. |
| Vernetta Alston, Allen Chesser, and Mike Schietzelt | HB 923 | 04/10/2025 | Protect Personal Info/Judicial Personnel. |
| Vernetta Alston, B. Ray Jeffers, Marcia Morey, and Zack Hawkins | HB 927 | 04/10/2025 | Durham Funding Bill. |
| Vernetta Alston, Jake Johnson, Jeff Zenger, and Zack Hawkins | HB 934 | 04/10/2025 | AI Regulatory Reform Act. |
| Vernetta Alston, Carla D. Cunningham, Terry M. Brown Jr., and Zack Hawkins | HB 857 | 04/09/2025 | Create Alert/Missing Person w/ Disability. |
| Vernetta Alston, Cynthia Ball, Tim Longest, and Zack Hawkins | HB 823 | 04/08/2025 | County Service Districts/Research & URSD. |
| Vernetta Alston, B. Ray Jeffers, Marcia Morey, and Zack Hawkins | HB 783 | 04/03/2025 | Funds for Sidekicks Academy. |
| Vernetta Alston, Allen Buansi, Cecil Brockman, and Charles Smith | HB 722 | 04/02/2025 | Enact Criminal Justice Debt Reform. |
| Vernetta Alston, Julie von Haefen, Monika Johnson-Hostler, and Zack Hawkins | HB 725 | 04/02/2025 | MOMnibus 3.0. |
| Vernetta Alston, B. Ray Jeffers, Marcia Morey, and Zack Hawkins | HB 731 | 04/02/2025 | Funds for Pauli Murray Center. |
| Vernetta Alston, Brandon Lofton, Julie von Haefen, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 645 | 04/01/2025 | Friendly NC Act. |
| Vernetta Alston, Brian Turner, Phil Rubin, and Sarah Crawford | HB 668 | 04/01/2025 | NC Working Families Economic Relief Act. |
| Vernetta Alston and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 673 | 04/01/2025 | Neonatal Transport Assistance. |
| Vernetta Alston, Brian Turner, Jordan Lopez, and Sarah Crawford | HB 677 | 04/01/2025 | Open Movie Captioning in Movie Theaters. |
| Vernetta Alston, Pricey Harrison, Sarah Crawford, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 684 | 04/01/2025 | Environmental Justice in North Carolina. |
| Vernetta Alston, Allison A. Dahle, Jordan Lopez, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 603 | 03/31/2025 | Workforce Housing Loans-Preconstruction Costs. |
| Vernetta Alston, Allen Chesser, Donnie Loftis, and John R. Bell, IV | HB 612 | 03/31/2025 | Fostering Care in NC Act. |
| Vernetta Alston, Allison A. Dahle, and Gloristine Brown | HB 626 | 03/31/2025 | Housing Choice Act. |
| Vernetta Alston and Matthew Winslow | HB 627 | 03/31/2025 | Regulation of Accessory Dwelling Units. |
| Vernetta Alston, Cody Huneycutt, Donna McDowell White, and Terry M. Brown Jr. | HB 634 | 03/31/2025 | Parity Enhancement for Addiction Recovery. |
| Vernetta Alston, Donna McDowell White, Sarah Crawford, and Zack Hawkins | HB 551 | 03/27/2025 | Clubhouse Expansion. |
| Vernetta Alston and Allison A. Dahle | HB 492 | 03/24/2025 | Repeal Parents’ Bill of Rights. |
| Vernetta Alston and Allison A. Dahle | HB 493 | 03/24/2025 | Gen. Assembly/Safe Workplace Policies. |
| Vernetta Alston and Allison A. Dahle | HB 497 | 03/24/2025 | Ban on Gay & Trans Panic Defense. |
| Vernetta Alston, Bryan Cohn, Lindsey Prather, and Robert T. Reives, II | HB 503 | 03/24/2025 | Don’t Tread on Me Act. |
| Vernetta Alston, Jordan Lopez, Terry M. Brown Jr., and Zack Hawkins | HB 256 | 02/27/2025 | Allow Public Employee Collective Bargaining. |
| Vernetta Alston, B. Ray Jeffers, Marcia Morey, and Zack Hawkins | HB 208 | 02/25/2025 | Partnership for Children Information Access. |
| Vernetta Alston, B. Ray Jeffers, Marcia Morey, and Zack Hawkins | HB 209 | 02/25/2025 | Employee Housing/Durham County. |
