Sen. Lowe files bill in North Carolina Senate to exempt affordable housing from development fees

A new bill filed by State Sen. Paul A. Lowe, Jr. seeks to give local governments authority to exempt affordable housing projects from certain system development fees, according to the North Carolina State Senate.

The bill, filed as SB 184 on Feb. 26 during the 2025 regular session, was formally listed with the short title: ‘System Development Fees/Exemption.’

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill grants local government units the authority to exempt properties being developed for affordable housing from system development fees related to water or sewer services. It amends G.S. 162A-203 to allow these exemptions, requiring units or joint agencies to establish criteria for determining a parcel’s eligibility for the exemption. The bill stipulates that system development fees adopted under any other authority before Oct. 1, 2017, must comply with the article’s requirements by July 1, 2018. The act becomes effective upon becoming law.

Lowe proposed another four bills during the 2025 regular session.

Bills in North Carolina follow a multi-step process before becoming law. A lawmaker starts by filing a bill, which is assigned to a committee for review. The bill must be read three times in each chamber. If one chamber changes the bill after the other passes it, both must agree on the final version. Once both chambers approve the same bill, it goes to the governor, who has 10 days (or 30 if the legislature is not in session) to sign, veto, or let it become law without a signature.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.

Lowe graduated from Bishop College in 1985 with a BA and again from Drew University School of Theology with a DMIN.

Lowe, a Democrat, was elected to the North Carolina State Senate in 2015 to represent the state’s 32nd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Earline Parmon.