2025 -- H 5229 | |
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LC000300 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 | |
____________ | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND COMMERCE | |
CORPORATION -- HOUSING DEVELOPMENT | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Speakman, Boylan, Giraldo, Tanzi, Cortvriend, Ajello, | |
Date Introduced: January 29, 2025 | |
Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Chapter 42-64 of the General Laws entitled "Rhode Island Commerce |
2 | Corporation" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: |
3 | 42-64-13.3. Rhode Island housing champion designation. |
4 | (a) The commerce corporation shall develop a Rhode Island housing champion designation |
5 | program for all qualifying municipalities. The Rhode Island housing champion designation |
6 | program shall be voluntary. Each municipality shall have the option, in its sole discretion, to apply |
7 | to the commerce corporation to receive the Rhode Island housing champion designation. In |
8 | exchange for obtaining the Rhode Island housing champion designation, a municipality shall |
9 | receive preferential access to state resources including, but not limited to, discretionary state |
10 | infrastructure funds, as available. |
11 | (b) The corporation shall adopt rules to establish qualifications and procedures for a |
12 | municipality to receive the Rhode Island housing champion designation. The designation procedure |
13 | shall be based on a scoring system. |
14 | (c) Qualifications to receive the Rhode Island housing champion designation shall include: |
15 | (1) Adoption of such land use regulations and ordinances which the corporation determines |
16 | to be necessary to promote the development of workforce housing, and other types of housing |
17 | necessary for the economic development of the state. In this subsection, "land use regulations and |
18 | ordinances" may include, but are not limited to, zoning ordinances to innovative land use controls, |
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1 | subdivision and the site plan regulations. |
2 | (2) Training of planning and zoning board members using, training materials and programs, |
3 | provided by the department that cover the processes, procedures, regulations, and statutes related |
4 | to the board on which the member serves; approved by the corporation. |
5 | (3) Implementation of sewer and water infrastructure improvements intended to support |
6 | the development of workforce housing, and other types of housing necessary for the economic |
7 | development of the state. |
8 | (4) Implementation of public transportation, sidewalks, or other walkability infrastructure |
9 | intended to support the development of workforce housing, and other types of housing necessary |
10 | for the economic development of the state. |
11 | (d) Qualifications to receive the Rhode Island housing champion designation may also |
12 | include, but are not limited to adoption of financial tools that incentivize the development of |
13 | workforce housing, including adoption of the community revitalization tax relief incentive program |
14 | and establishment of municipal economic development and revitalization districts. |
15 | (e) Municipalities that receive a Rhode Island housing champion designation, shall |
16 | annually report in a form required by the department. The annual report shall include such measures |
17 | as the corporation may determine including, but not limited to, land use board applications, |
18 | approvals and building permits. |
19 | (f) A Rhode Island housing champion designation shall be valid for three (3) years from |
20 | the date such designation is awarded. A municipality may seek renewal of its Rhode Island housing |
21 | champion designation for subsequent three (3) year periods. The corporation shall include in the |
22 | criteria for renewal performance metrics including, but not limited to, the qualifications listed in |
23 | subsection ยง 42-64-13.3 (c). |
24 | (g) Each year the corporation shall develop a report which describes all actions taken |
25 | related to the operation of the Rhode Island housing champion designation program in the |
26 | preceding state fiscal year and assesses the overall impact of the Rhode Island housing champion |
27 | designation program, including an assessment of the additional housing units produced in the state |
28 | as a result of the program's operation and incentives. The report required by this section shall be |
29 | submitted to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives, and the president of the |
30 | senate on or before November 1 of each year, beginning in 2026, and upon such submission, the |
31 | report shall be posted online on the website of the department. |
32 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- RHODE ISLAND COMMERCE | |
CORPORATION -- HOUSING DEVELOPMENT | |
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1 | This act would authorize the establishment of a Rhode Island housing champion |
2 | designation program. This program would make qualified municipalities eligible to receive |
3 | preferential access to state resources, including discretionary state infrastructure funds, as available. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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