| Chapter 273 |
| 2025 -- H 5229 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: Representatives Speakman, Boylan, Giraldo, Tanzi, Cortvriend, Ajello, Potter, and McGaw |
| Date Introduced: January 29, 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: |
| 42-64.34-542-167-10. Rhode Island housing champion designation. |
| (a) The department of housingexecutive office 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 departmentexecutive office of housing 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 departmentexecutive |
| office of housing 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 departmentexecutive office of housing. |
| (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 departmentexecutive office of housing 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 departmentexecutive office of |
| housing 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 departmentexecutive office of housing 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 departmentexecutive office of |
| housing. |
| SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC000300/SUB A |
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