| Chapter 272 |
| 2025 -- S 0495 SUBSTITUTE A AS AMENDED Enacted 06/27/2025 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING |
Introduced By: Senators Gu, Burke, Kallman, Bissaillon, and Tikoian |
| Date Introduced: February 26, 2025 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. Chapter 42-64.34 of the General Laws entitled "The Department of Housing" |
| is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: |
| 42-64.34-5. Rhode Island housing champion designation. |
| (a) The department of housing shall develop a Rhode Island housing champion designation |
| program for all qualifying municipalities. The Rhode Island housing champion designation |
| program shall be voluntary. Each municipality shall have the option, in its sole discretion, to apply |
| to the department to receive the Rhode Island housing champion designation. In exchange for |
| obtaining the Rhode Island housing champion designation, a municipality shall receive preferential |
| access to state resources including, but not limited to, discretionary state funds, as available. |
| (b) The department shall adopt rules to establish qualifications and procedures for a |
| municipality to receive the Rhode Island housing champion designation. The designation procedure |
| shall be based on a scoring system. |
| (c) Qualifications to receive the Rhode Island housing champion designation shall include: |
| (1) Adoption of such land use regulations and ordinances which the department determines |
| to be necessary to promote the development of housing consistent with the State Guide Plan |
| housing element, and other types of housing necessary for the economic development of the state. |
| In this subsection, "land use regulations and ordinances" may include, but are not limited to, zoning |
| ordinances to innovative land use controls, subdivision, and the site plan regulations. |
| (2) Training of planning and zoning board members using, training materials and programs, |
| provided by the department that cover the processes, procedures, regulations, and statutes related |
| to the board on which the member serves; approved by the department. |
| (3) Planning or implementation of sewer and water infrastructure improvements and/or |
| electric infrastructure improvements intended to support the development of housing consistent |
| with the State Guide Plan housing element. |
| (4) Planning or implementation of sidewalks, bike lanes, or other infrastructure intended |
| to support walkable or bikeable neighborhoods or public transportation. |
| (d) Qualifications to receive the Rhode Island housing champion designation may also |
| include, but are not limited to, adoption of financial tools that incentivize the development of |
| housing, including adoption of the community revitalization tax relief incentive program and |
| establishment of municipal economic development and revitalization districts. |
| (e) Municipalities that receive a Rhode Island housing champion designation,shall annually |
| report such measures as the department may determine including, but not limited to, land use board |
| applications, approvals, and building permits. |
| (f) A Rhode Island housing champion designation shall be valid for three (3) years from |
| the date such designation is awarded. A municipality may seek renewal of its Rhode Island housing |
| champion designation for subsequent three-(3)year (3) periods. The department shall include in the |
| criteria for renewal performance metrics including, but not limited to, the qualifications listed in |
| subsection (c) of this section. |
| (g) Each year the department shall develop a report which describes all actions taken related |
| to the operation of the Rhode Island housing champion designation program in the preceding state |
| fiscal year and assesses the overall impact of the Rhode Island housing champion designation |
| program, including an assessment of the additional housing units produced in the state as a result |
| of the program's operation and incentives. The report required by this section shall be submitted to |
| the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the president of the senate on or |
| before November 1 of each year, beginning in 2026, and upon such submission, the report shall be |
| posted online on the website of the department. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC001644/SUB A |
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