I.The department shall develop a New Hampshire housing champion designation program for all qualifying municipalities. The New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire housing champion designation. In exchange for New Hampshire housing champion designation, a municipality shall receive preferential access to state resources including, but not limited to, discretionary state infrastructure funds, as available.
II.The department shall adopt rules to establish qualifications and procedures for a municipality to receive the New Hampshire housing champion designation. The designation procedure shall be based on a scoring system.
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I. The department shall develop a New Hampshire housing champion designation program for all qualifying municipalities. The New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire housing champion designation. In exchange for New Hampshire housing champion designation, a municipality shall receive preferential access to state resources including, but not limited to, discretionary state infrastructure funds, as available.
II. The department shall adopt rules to establish qualifications and procedures for a municipality to receive the New Hampshire housing champion designation. The designation procedure shall be based on a scoring system.
III. Qualifications to receive the New Hampshire housing champion designation shall include:
(a) Adoption of such land use regulations and ordinances which the department determines to be necessary to promote the development of workforce housing, as that term is defined in RSA 674:58, and other types of housing necessary for the economic development of the state. In this subdivision, "land use regulations and ordinances" may include, but are not limited to, zoning ordinances adopted pursuant to RSA 674:16, innovative land use controls adopted pursuant to RSA 674:21, subdivision regulations adopted pursuant to RSA 674:35, and site plan regulations adopted pursuant to RSA 674:43.
(b) Training of planning board and zoning board of adjustment members using training materials and programs, including online materials and programs, provided by the department pursuant to RSA 673:3-a; or training materials and programs, including online materials and programs, provided by the New Hampshire Municipal Association, that cover the processes, procedures, regulations, and statutes related to the board on which the member serves; or any other training materials and programs, including online materials and programs, approved by the department, that cover the processes, procedures, regulations, and statutes related to the board on which the member serves.
(c) Implementation of sewer and water infrastructure improvements intended to support the development of workforce housing,as that term is defined in RSA 674:58, and other types of housing necessary for the economic development of the state.
(d) Implementation of public transportation, sidewalks, or other walkability infrastructure intended to support the development of workforce housing, as that term is defined in RSA 674:58, and other types of housing necessary for the economic development of the state.
IV. Qualifications to receive the New Hampshire housing champion designation may also include, but are not limited to adoption of financial tools that incentivize the development of workforce housing, including adoption of the community revitalization tax relief incentive program under RSA 79-E and establishment of municipal economic development and revitalization districts under RSA 162-K.
V. Municipalities that receive a New Hampshire housing champion designation shall annually report in a form required by the department. The annual report shall include such measures as the department may determine, including but not limited to land use board applications and approvals and building permits.
VI. A New Hampshire housing champion designation shall be valid for 3 years from the date such designation is awarded. A municipality may seek renewal of its New Hampshire housing champion designation for subsequent 3-year periods. The department shall include in the criteria for renewal performance metrics including, but not limited to, the qualifications listed in paragraphs III and IV.
VII. Each year the department shall develop a report which describes all actions taken related to the operation of the New Hampshire housing champion designation program in the preceding state fiscal year and assesses the overall impact of the New Hampshire 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 paragraph 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 2024, and upon such submission, the report shall be posted online on the website of the department.