Stein connects housing affordability push to construction workforce training

RALEIGH — Gov. Josh Stein said Thursday that North Carolina’s housing shortage is tied not only to land use and development policy, but also to whether the state can train enough workers to build the homes it needs.

Stein visited Pitt Community College with college President Maria Pharr and Greenville Director of Neighborhood and Business Services Tiana Berryman to highlight the school’s construction and industrial technology programs. The visit followed Stein’s recent executive order directing cabinet agencies to work on housing supply, affordability and access.

The governor’s office said North Carolina faces a projected gap of more than 750,000 housing units through 2029, with low- and moderate-income households especially affected. The office also said North Carolina saw the ninth-highest rental price increase in the country from 2024 to 2025.

“To lower families’ largest monthly expense, their mortgage or rent, we need to significantly increase the number of homes we build each year,” Stein said in the announcement. “Through initiatives like Pitt Community College’s construction and industrial technology programs, we are helping North Carolina shore up the construction workforce while connecting people to good jobs with good wages that can support a family.”

Pharr said the college’s programs train electricians, HVAC technicians and construction workers while also producing affordable housing in the community. She said workforce development and housing opportunity are connected because graduates can move into living-wage careers and potentially become homeowners themselves.

Stein’s office also pointed to his recommended 2026-27 budget, which calls for additional investment in state housing programs, preservation of existing rental units and emergency home repairs. The governor’s proposal also includes grants to local governments intended to encourage higher-density zoning policies and more diverse housing supply.

The budget recommendations would have to move through the General Assembly, where lawmakers control state spending and could decide whether to adopt, revise or reject the governor’s proposals.

The announcement comes as housing costs have become a larger issue in state and local politics across North Carolina. Fast-growing communities have faced pressure from rising rents, limited starter-home inventory, infrastructure needs and local zoning decisions that can affect where and how housing is built.

Stein’s housing order directs cabinet agencies to coordinate housing-related work and use data-driven approaches. His office said the administration also supports apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs in high-demand fields, including construction, advanced manufacturing, aviation, health care and rural workforce development.

The policy question now shifts to the legislature and local governments. Stein can direct cabinet agencies, but many of the major housing tools, including state funding, local land-use policies and incentives for development, depend on decisions beyond the governor’s office.

Editor’s note: This article was drafted with the assistance of artificial intelligence and was reviewed and fact-checked by a member of the NC Political News editorial team before publication.