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Housing Champion Program

Housing Champion Designation and Related Programs

The New Hampshire legislature created and provided $5 million in funding for the Housing Champion Designation and Grant Program (NH RSA 12-O:71-76), with the purpose of enabling municipalities to voluntarily engage in the Housing Champion Designation process and subsequently benefit from other funding assistance or opportunities made exclusively available to communities designated as Housing Champions. The Department of Business and Economic Affairs (BEA) is administering the designation process and related programming.  

The Housing Champion Designation is statutorily defined and requires BEA to engage in the formal rulemaking process before opening the program. The same is true for related grant programs for municipalities and eventual Housing Champion designees: the Housing Planning and Regulation Municipal Grant Program (NH RSA 12-O:72); the Housing Production Municipal Grant Program (NH RSA 12-O:73(I)); and the Housing Infrastructure Municipal Grant and Loan Program (NH RSA 12-O:73(II)).  

The Housing Champion Rules Bea 500 have been adopted effective 8/8/2024 attached. The department anticipates rolling out the program in early fall of 2024.

Program Advisory Committee Meeting Information
The Housing Champion Program Advisory Committee was established by NH RSA 12-O:76 for the purpose of reviewing and making recommendations on initial rules proposed pursuant to NH RSA 12-O:75. Members of the committee include:  
 
  • One member of the state senate, appointed by the Senate President.
  • One member of the state house of representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House.
  • The commissioner of BEA, or designee.
  • The executive director of the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority, or designee.
  • The executive director of the Community Development Finance Authority, or designee.
  • Two members appointed by the New Hampshire Municipal Association, one representing a city and one representing a town.
  • One member appointed by the New Hampshire Association of Regional Planning Commissions.
  • One member appointed by the New Hampshire Planners Association.
  • Meetings will take place at BEA or via video conference, depending upon the availability of Committee members.  
Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes