News

The Rhode Island Association of REALTORS® helped to defeat several bills that would have imposed rent control on residential rental properties.  Rent control has been a failure in Massachusetts and other parts of the country because it discourages production of new rental housing and makes it difficult for landlords to afford repairs and improvements.  Since rent control is not needs tested, it benefits high income earners as well as low income earners. 

The Rhode Island Association of REALTORS helped to defeat “just cause” legislation that would have abolished a landlord’s existing right to terminate any of the following for any reason:  a month-to-month tenancy; a tenancy after a lease expires; or an unwritten rental agreement. 

If this legislation had passed, it would have prevented landlords from evicting tenants unless the landlord could document that the eviction was for an acceptable purpose as defined in the legislation...

 Do you or your clients work from home?  Starting on June 29,2025, a new Rhode Island law clarifies what type of remote work from home arrangements are allowed without municipal approval as an accessory use.

As of June 27, 2025, a new law,  Chapters 257 and 265,  affects towns, cities, private organizations, and private property owners who wish to reduce or eliminate parking near a Coastal Resources Management Council (CRMC) designated public right of water to the shoreline. These entities must file a plan that will be reviewed by CRMC and the Rhode Island Department of Environment Management (DEM).

Starting on June 27, 2025, a new law, Chapters 263 and 264 requires towns and cities to issue a zoning certificate within 20 days of a written request, an increase from the previous deadline of 15 days.

A new Rhode Island law to establish a land bank took place upon passage on June 27, 2025.    The law, House Bill No. 5955  SUB A (Chapter 275), requires Rhode Island Housing to create a public land bank to purchase land or receive it as a donation to create affordable housing.

A new law S0549aa.pdf requires operators of hotels or short-term rentals of 30 days or less:

▪to complete human trafficking prevention training that is approved and/or offered by the RI Department of Business Regulation. 

▪Training must be completed within 180 days of employment or the first listing of a short-term rental property on a hosting platform and by the end of every calendar year after that.  This includes all third-party hosting sites, like real estate brokerage’s websites, Airbnb, VRBO, etc.

As of  July 2, 2025, a new law  prohibits landlords and their rental agents, property managers or other representatives, from asking potential or existing tenants and occupants about their immigration or citizenship status. 

 A new Rhode Island law 936 (Public Law 186) took effect that prohibits anyone who is licensed as a mortgage loan originator and a real estate broker or salesperson, from handling and being compensated to handle both roles in the same transaction. The law does not prevent individuals from holding both types of licenses as long as they’re not used in the same transaction. 

Two new Rhode Island condominium laws went into effect upon passage on June 24, 2025. The first requires a condominium executive board to hold a special meeting if requested by 20% of the unit owners or any other lower percentage required in the condominium bylaws, and the purpose of the meeting is to discuss an issue on which owners have a right to vote.