Alliance for Safe Neighborhoods
Strengthening Property Rights in North Carolina
PROBLEM
As illegal squatting surged nationwide, North Carolina’s outdated property laws were increasingly unable to protect property owners and communities.
The 2024 legislative session created a rare opportunity to address the issue, with lawmakers considering three bills aimed at directly confronting illegal squatting. However, housing, property owner, and builder associations lacked a unified structure and coordinated strategy, making it difficult to organize advocacy efforts and effectively move the legislation forward.
SOLUTION
The Herald Group established a 501(c)(4) organization to centralize advocacy and unify a broad coalition of housing, property owner, and builder associations under a single, coordinated effort. THG developed clear, accessible messaging that explained why legislative action was urgently needed and how the proposed bills would strengthen property rights across North Carolina.
The campaign deployed a multi‑pronged communications strategy—including targeted digital advertising, constituent letters to lawmakers, grasstops engagement, and op‑eds from trusted former and current state lawmakers—to ensure consistent, credible pressure throughout the legislative process.
SERVICES: Paid & Earned Media | Grassroots | Grasstops | Website Development
RESULTS
The campaign successfully translated a fragmented issue into decisive legislative action. Despite a challenging environment and the disruption caused by Hurricane Helene, the coordinated advocacy effort helped secure passage of two priority bills into law.
The campaign also galvanized lawmakers to override gubernatorial vetoes, resulting in durable reforms that significantly strengthened property rights protections across North Carolina.
OUR IMPACT
Impressions
Paid Media Reach
12X
795K
2.1M
Frequency
Drew attention to needed reform through exposing the agency’s abuse of power
End‑to‑end coalition strategy and legislative advocacy