§ 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.