RIHousing: Launching the Municipal Technical Assistance Program

The Municipal Technical Assistance Program (MTAP) provides resources for cities and towns to support increased local housing production.

The program is administered by RIHousing according to guidelines approved by the RI Housing Resources Commission's Coordinating Committee and in collaboration with the Department of Housing and is funded through the State's Housing Protection Fund (HPF). $4 million of the initial capitalization of the HPF has been reserved for MTAP.

Eligible Activities

Eligible applicants are Rhode Island cities and towns, who can apply to receive technical assistance from a pool of consultants. The proposal must fall within the categories of eligible activities:

• Assistance in identifying where more affordable housing could or should be built in the community. This could encompass areas of the community and/or specific properties.
• Assist municipalities with updating or improving their zoning and land use requirements or permitting processes to remove barriers to housing development.
• Assistance in evaluating the capacity of a municipality's infrastructure (such as water and sewer service) to serve existing and planned development and/or determine infrastructure needs to serve future development.
• Share techniques and tools to respond to resident opposition that is preventing development and engage the community in support of proposed affordable developments or proposed zoning or land use changes that would facilitate housing development.

The program is now open to municipalities and applications will be considered on a rolling basis subject to funding availability.