North Carolina Senate Bill 382 began as a disaster relief bill, a widely supported and necessary measure to help our State recover from Hurricane Helene. But in a stunning act of political deceit, a last-minute provision was quietly slipped in to strip local governments of their zoning authority. This bait-and-switch tactic, buried inside an emergency relief bill, is a textbook example of legislative manipulation. It’s a disgraceful move by politicians more interested in serving powerful special interests than the people they were elected to represent.
House Bill 765
House Bill 765, titled “Save the American Dream Act,” is a classic example of legislative branding used to obscure intent. It is actually a massive overhaul of local planning and zoning rules. Under the guise of altruism, it slashes the ability of towns and counties to control how their communities grow. Local representatives, who understand their communities best, are being pushed aside so that developers can operate with fewer restrictions, and more profit, regardless of the long-term impact on residents, infrastructure, or the environment.
Senate Bill 205
When HB 765 sparked strong backlash from citizens, local officials, and planning experts across North Carolina, many assumed the fight was won. But in a move straight out of a Washington, D.C. playbook, legislators revived some of its most harmful provisions by inserting them into Senate Bill 205, a bill that originally dealt with nothing more than swimming pools. What started as a simple two-page bill was hijacked and inflated, and used as a vehicle to sneak controversial zoning rollbacks past the public eye.
House Bill 661
Even worse, House Bill 661 also contains provisions that would further strip zoning authority from municipalities, continuing this disturbing trend. Every time the public pushes back, these provisions are shifted into new bills like a political shell game.
This is not governance. It’s a betrayal. A prostitution of public policy to the highest bidder. These politicians are not serving their constituents, they’re serving developers, lobbyists, and donors who see community land as a commodity, not a home.
We The People
We call on the people of North Carolina to demand better, to stand up for local control, transparency, and accountable leadership. Our communities should not be reshaped by shadowy deals and backroom amendments. We will not be silent while our voices are sold off piece by piece.
Call and email our Senators today and ask them to oppose House Bill 661. Moreover, contact every member of the General Assembly and demand that they cease the deceptive tactic of infecting unrelated bills with their wish list from House Bill 765.