§ 42-167-10. Rhode Island housing champion designation.
(a) The executive 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 executive office of housing 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 executive 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 executive 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 executive office of housing that cover the processes, procedures, regulations, and statutes related to the board on which the member serves; approved by the executive 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 executive 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-year (3) periods. The executive 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 executive 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 executive office of housing.
History of Section.
P.L. 2025, ch. 272, § 1, effective June 27, 2025; P.L. 2025, ch. 273, § 1, effective
June 27, 2025.