GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA SESSION 2025 S 1 SENATE BILL 465 Short Title: Agency Vacant Property. (Public) Sponsors: Senators Burgin and Chaudhuri (Primary Sponsors). Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate March 25, 2025 *S465 -v-1* A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1 AN ACT TO REQUIRE TH E DEPARTMENT OF ADMI NISTRATION TO ASSESS , 2 CATALOG, REPORT, AND DISPOSE OF CERTAIN VACANT STATE PROPERT Y. 3 The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 4 SECTION 1. G.S. 143-341 reads as rewritten: 5 "§ 143-341. Powers and duties of Department. 6 The Department of Administration has the following powers and duties: 7 (1) Repealed by Session Laws 1979, 2nd Session, c. 1137, s. 38. 8 (2) Purchase and Contract: 9 a. To exercise those powers and perform those duties which were, at the 10 time of the ratification of this Article, conferred by statute upon the 11 former Division of Purchase and Contract. 12 … 13 (4) Real Property Control: 14 a. To prepare and keep current a complete and accurate inventory of all 15 land owned or leased by the State or by any State agency. This 16 inventory shall show the location, including the latitude and longitude 17 of the center of the property, acreage, description, source of title and 18 current use of all land (including swamplands or marshlands) owned 19 by the State or by any State agency, and the agency to which each tract 20 is currently allocated. Surveys may be made where necessary to obtain 21 information for the purposes of this inventory. Accurate plats or maps 22 of all such land may be prepared, or copies obtained where such maps 23 or plats are available. 24 b. To prepare and keep current a complete and accurate database of all 25 buildings owned or leased (in whole or in part) by the State or by any 26 State agency. This database shall serve as the State inventory and shall 27 include all of the following information and floor plans of every such 28 building shall be prepared or copies obtained where such floor plans 29 are available, where needed for use in the allocation of space therein: 30 1. The building's location, including the latitude and longitude of 31 the center of the building. 32 2. A description of the operations supported by the building. 33 3. The agency or agencies that occupy the building.The current 34 occupant of the building or, if the building is vacant, the current 35 period of vacancy. 36 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Page 2 Senate Bill 465-First Edition 4. Ownership information for the building. 1 5. The size of the building in terms of both gross and usable 2 square feet. 3 6. A description of the building. 4 7. The building's condition assessment, including the estimated 5 cost to make needed repairs and renovations as well as the date 6 that the last condition assessment was completed. 7 8. The building's annual operating costs. 8 9. The building's annual maintenance costs. 9 9a. The total potential liability to the State for the building and the 10 land where the building is situated. 11 10. The number of usable workspaces contained in the building. 12 11. The number of full-time equivalent positions assigned to the 13 building by each agency occupant. 14 12. The amount of the building that is utilized, measured in 15 accordance with the procedures developed pursuant to 16 G.S. 143-341.2(a)(3). 17 13. Maintenance record, including replacement and maintenance 18 schedules for all major mechanical systems. 19 14. Parking and employee facilities. 20 15. Any other information deemed relevant by the Department of 21 Administration. 22 …." 23 SECTION 2. G.S. 143-341.2 reads as rewritten: 24 "§ 143-341.2. Proactive management of State-owned and State-leased real property 25 portfolio. 26 (a) Duties of the Department of Administration. – The Department of Administration 27 shall have the following powers and duties: 28 (1) Development of comprehensive State facilities plan. – No later than April 1, 29 2023, and every five years thereafter, the Department of Administration shall 30 develop and implement a plan to comprehensively manage, acquire, and 31 dispose of the facilities and spaces required to fully support State government 32 operations. The plan shall do all of the following: 33 a. Identify the type, quantity, and location of facilities and spaces 34 required to fully support State government operations. 35 b. Include an in-depth analysis of existing State-owned facilities' 36 locations, capability, utilization, occupancy status, and condition. 37 c. Establish strategic priorities and objectives that allow the Department 38 of Administration to manage the performance of the State's portfolio 39 of real property in a way that maximizes the utilization of State-owned 40 facilities and minimizes operating and maintenance costs. 41 d. Take into consideration the information provided to the Department in 42 five-year real property management plans submitted by State agencies 43 pursuant to subdivision (b)(4) of this section. 44 e. Provide a mechanism for allocating available facilities or space to 45 State agencies that need it in a manner that reduces the need to acquire 46 new space through purchase, lease, or other means. 47 f. Provide recommendations for disposing of existing State property and 48 facilities, consolidating operations among existing facilities, and 49 relocating State agencies from leased facilities to State-owned 50 facilities. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Senate Bill 465-First Edition Page 3 g. Describe all changes made to space planning standards developed and 1 distributed as provided in subdivision (4) of this subsection. 2 h. Identify potential facilities eligible for surplus disposal under 3 G.S. 143-341.3. 4 (2) Development of performance management system. – The Department of 5 Administration shall establish a performance management system to measure 6 the State's achievement of the priorities and objectives set forth in plans 7 developed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this section. The system shall set 8 measurable goals and deadlines and shall be designed to focus on optimization 9 and efficiency of the State's portfolio of real property. The system shall be 10 used to report the information required by sub-sub-subdivision (7)c.1. of this 11 section. 12 (3) Development of utilization measures. – The Department of Administration 13 shall develop and distribute to State agencies procedures to be used to measure 14 the utilization of State-owned and State-leased real property. The procedures 15 developed pursuant to this subdivision shall be all of the following: 16 a. Based on the percentage of usable square feet in a facility that is used 17 for State agency functions or for storage, or on other trade industry 18 standards of utilization measurement. 19 b. Adjusted as appropriate for each facility type. 20 c. Designed to yield an easily understandable index or ratio of facility 21 utilization. 22 d. Developed in consultation with State agencies. 23 (4) Development and enforcement of space planning standards. – The Department 24 of Administration shall develop and distribute to State agencies space 25 planning standards to be used to determine workspace size and to govern the 26 use of shared space. The standards developed pursuant to this subdivision 27 shall be based on the Federal GSA's Office of Real Property Management 28 Performance Measurement Division Workspace Utilization and Allocation 29 Benchmark report unless the Department identifies another efficient industry 30 standard upon which to base the space planning standards developed pursuant 31 to this subdivision. The Department shall: 32 a. Annually perform audits of a portion of State agencies to determine 33 each agency's adherence to the space planning standards developed 34 pursuant to this subdivision and shall send formal letters of 35 admonishment to any agency that fails to justify, in the sole discretion 36 of the Department, any deviation from those standards. 37 b. Update the space planning standards developed pursuant to this 38 subdivision at least once every five years and distribute those changes 39 to State agencies. 40 (5) Updating of real property inventories. – The Department of Administration 41 shall do all of the following to ensure that the information contained in the 42 inventories maintained pursuant to G.S. 143-341(4) is kept current: 43 a. Immediately incorporate information received from State agencies 44 pursuant to subdivision (b)(1) of this section into the inventories. 45 b. Immediately notify State agencies when the incorporation of 46 information into the inventories required by sub-subdivision a. of this 47 subdivision is complete. 48 (6) Development of surplus property identification and disposal system. – The 49 Department of Administration shall establish a surplus real property disposal 50 system that limits the duration that unneeded property is retained by the State. 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Page 4 Senate Bill 465-First Edition As part of the system, the Department shall adopt rules defining surplus 1 State-owned real property and establishing a system for continuously 2 identifying and disposing of that property, subject to the approvals required 3 by Chapter 146 of the General Statutes, which shall take into consideration all 4 of the following: 5 a. The value each facility or parcel of land brings to the performance of 6 the mission of the State or State agency and the fulfillment of its goals 7 and objectives. 8 b. A general measure of the facility's condition calculated as a ratio of 9 repair needs to replacement value. 10 c. The degree to which the property is utilized, measured in accordance 11 with the procedures developed pursuant to subdivision (3) of this 12 subsection. 13 d. The extent to which the property meets the purpose for which it was 14 intended. 15 e. The extent to which the State or State agency is likely to need to 16 continue to provide the service or function currently provided at the 17 property. 18 f. Consideration of the best and most cost-effective manner in which 19 these future needs can be met. 20 (7) Reporting. – The Department of Administration shall make the following 21 reports: 22 a. No later than April 1, 2023, and every five years thereafter, the 23 Department shall report the following to the Joint Legislative 24 Commission on Governmental Operations and Joint Legislative 25 Oversight Committee on Capital Improvements, Joint Legislative 26 Oversight Committee on General Government, and Fiscal Research 27 Division: 28 1. The plan developed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this 29 subsection. 30 2. A summary of the performance measurement procedures 31 developed pursuant to subdivision (2) of this subsection. 32 b. If any State agency fails to submit the information required by 33 subdivision (b)(1) of this section, the Department shall report the 34 failure to the chairs of the Joint Legislative Commission on 35 Governmental Operations, the chairs of the Joint Legislative Oversight 36 Committee on Capital Improvements, and the chairs of the Joint 37 Legislative Oversight Committee on General Government within 30 38 days. 39 c. No later than April 1, 2024, and each year thereafter, the Department 40 shall report to the Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental 41 Operations, Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Capital 42 Improvements, Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on General 43 Government, and Fiscal Research Division on the State's portfolio of 44 real property. This report shall include at least the following 45 information: 46 1. The status of achieving the goals and objectives set forth in the 47 most recent plan developed pursuant to subdivision (1) of this 48 section. 49 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Senate Bill 465-First Edition Page 5 2. Trends in the inventory of leased and owned buildings and real 1 property, including changes in value, square footage, and 2 operation and maintenance costs. 3 3. Trends in the inventory of State-owned land, including 4 changes in acreage and value. 5 4. Allocation of leased and owned space by facility type, by 6 agency, and by county. 7 5. Benchmarks for comparable private sector leases across the 8 regions of the State for both rural and urban locations, as 9 appropriate. 10 6. An analysis of utilization targets and a list of owned and leased 11 real property identified as unused or underutilized. 12 7. A list of the following information for the period beginning 13 after submission of the most recent report pursuant to this 14 sub-subdivision: 15 I. State-owned properties identified as unused or 16 underutilized. 17 II. State-owned properties sold. 18 III. State-owned properties in the process of being disposed 19 of. 20 IV. Properties reallocated between State agencies. 21 8. A list of all audits performed that year pursuant to 22 sub-subdivision a. of subdivision (4) of this subsection, a 23 summary of the findings of each audit, and the agency's plans 24 for addressing the findings of the audit. 25 (b) Duties of Other State Agencies. – Each State agency shall have the following powers 26 and duties: 27 (1) Collection and reporting of information on property use. – No later than 28 November 1, 2022, and each year thereafter, each State agency shall submit 29 to the Department of Administration all of the information described in 30 G.S. 143-341(4)b.1. through 15. for each building, facility, or space in any 31 building or facility that the agency occupies. This shall be in addition to any 32 reports required pursuant to G.S. 143-341(4)h. 33 (2) Verification of information in real property inventories. – Within 60 days of 34 receiving notice from the Department of Administration pursuant to 35 sub-subdivision (a)(5)b. of this section, each State agency shall report to the 36 Department one of the following, as applicable: 37 a. That the information submitted to the Department of Administration 38 pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection is accurately reflected in 39 the real property inventories. 40 b. A list of discrepancies between the information submitted to the 41 Department of Administration pursuant to subdivision (1) of this 42 subsection and the corresponding information in the real property 43 inventories. 44 (3) Auditor may audit submissions. – The State Auditor may audit submissions 45 made to the Department of Administration pursuant to subdivision (1) of this 46 subsection and may recover any costs incurred in performing such an audit 47 from the State Land Fund, in accordance with G.S. 146-72. 48 (4) Development of five-year property management plan. – No later than 49 November 1, 2022, and every five years thereafter, each State agency shall 50 develop a five-year real property management plan and shall submit the plan 51 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Page 6 Senate Bill 465-First Edition to the Department of Administration for review. Each plan shall do all of the 1 following: 2 a. Identify the type, quantity, and location of facilities and spaces 3 required to fully support agency operations. 4 b. Include an in-depth analysis of existing facilities' locations, 5 capabilities, utilization, and condition. 6 c. Establish agency-specific strategic priorities and objectives for each 7 asset under its control. 8 (c) Exception for Property Not Subject to Department of Administration Oversight. – 9 None of the requirements of this section shall apply to facilities that are not subject to the real 10 property oversight of the Department of Administration under G.S. 143-341. A State agency that 11 is entirely exempt from the real property oversight of the Department of Administration shall not 12 be required to submit any information pursuant to subsection (b) of this section. A State agency 13 that is partially exempt from the real property oversight of the Department of Administration 14 shall submit information pursuant to subsection (b) of this section for those properties that are 15 subject to the real property oversight of the Department of Administration." 16 SECTION 3. Part 1 of Article 36 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes is amended 17 by adding a new section to read: 18 "§ 143-341.3. Disposal of surplus real property. 19 (a) Surplus Real Property Disposal. – The Department of Administration shall establish 20 a surplus real property disposal system that limits the duration that unneeded or vacant property 21 is retained by the State. As part of the system, the Department shall (i) adopt rules in accordance 22 with this section, including defining surplus State-owned real property, and (ii) establish a system 23 for continuously identifying and disposing of that property, subject to the approvals required 24 under Chapter 146 of the General Statutes, which shall take into consideration all of the 25 following: 26 (1) The value each facility or parcel of land brings to the performance of the 27 mission of the State or State agency and the fulfillment of its goals and 28 objectives. 29 (2) A general measure of the facility's condition calculated as a ratio of repair 30 needs to replacement value. 31 (3) The degree to which the property is utilized, measured in accordance with the 32 procedures developed pursuant to G.S. 143-341.2(a)(3). 33 (4) The extent to which the property meets the purpose for which it was intended. 34 (5) The extent to which the State or State agency is likely to need to continue to 35 provide the service or function currently provided at the property. 36 (6) Consideration of the best and most cost-effective manner in which these future 37 needs can be met. 38 (7) Whether the property has been vacant for one year or longer. 39 (8) An assessment of private or public interest in the property. 40 (b) Method for Disposal. – For properties identified as surplus pursuant to this section, 41 the Department of Administration shall, subject to the approvals required under Chapter 146 of 42 the General Statutes, dispose of the surplus real property by sale. If the Department of 43 Administration is unable to dispose of the real property by sale for a period of six months, the 44 Department shall dispose of the property by auction or by transfer of title to a city or county in 45 this State, provided that the city or county presents evidence satisfactory to the Department of an 46 economic development use for the property. 47 (c) Proceeds of Sale. – Notwithstanding G.S. 146-15, G.S. 146-30, or any other provision 48 of law, the gross proceeds of the sale of surplus real property under this section shall be handled 49 in accordance with the following priority: 50 General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025 Senate Bill 465-First Edition Page 7 (1) First, by subtracting any expenses incurred incident to the sale as may be 1 allowed under rules and regulations adopted by the Governor and approved 2 by the Council of State. 3 (2) Second, in accordance with the provisions of any trust or other instrument of 4 title whereby title to real property was acquired. 5 (3) Third, as provided by any other act of the General Assembly. 6 (4) Fourth, by depositing the remaining proceeds in accordance with the 7 following: 8 a. Fifty percent (50%) to the General Fund. 9 b. Fifty percent (50%) to the Department of Administration to be used 10 for repair and renovation projects as provided in G.S. 143C-8-13." 11 SECTION 4. No later than three months after the effective date of this section, the 12 Department of Administration shall submit a report to the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee 13 on General Government and the Fiscal Research Division with the vacant building data required 14 under G.S. 143-341, as enacted in this act. 15 SECTION 5. This act becomes effective July 1, 2025. 16