R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 42-11.2 § 42-11.2-7
Required contract provisions
Operative Text
Contracts to make rental assistance payments under this chapter shall provide that: (1) The duration of rental assistance payments thereunder shall not exceed or extend beyond the duration of principal payments due and owing by the eligible owner upon the primary financing of the acquisition, construction, or substantial rehabilitation of the affected units. (2) The lease between the tenant and the eligible owner shall continue indefinitely unless the tenancy is terminated as provided in subsection (3). (3) The eligible owner shall not terminate the tenancy during the term of any lease or at the end of any lease term except for serious or repeated violations of the terms and conditions of the lease, for violation of applicable state or local law, or for other good and substantial cause. (4) The obligations under the lease and rental agreement survive the sale of the units and shall be binding upon the new owner of the units. (5) The obligations under the contract between the eligible owner and the executive department shall survive the sale of the units subject to the contract and shall be binding upon any successor in interest of the eligible owner. The executive department shall cause a copy of the contract to be recorded in the land records office of the locality in which the assisted units are located within fifteen (15) days of execution of the contract.
Rhode Island General Laws § 42-11.2-7 sets out mandatory terms that must appear in any contract providing rental assistance payments under Chapter 42-11.2. Under these required provisions, rental assistance payments are capped at the duration of the owner's primary financing, tenancies continue indefinitely unless ended for serious cause, and both lease obligations and program contract obligations carry over to any new owner who purchases the assisted units. The executive department is also required to record a copy of the contract in the local land records within fifteen days of signing.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners participating in the rental assistance program under § 42-11.2-7 are expected to ensure their contracts and leases reflect all five required provisions, including the indefinite-lease requirement and the good-cause-only termination standard. Compliant operators generally document any grounds for termination carefully, limiting action to serious or repeated lease violations, applicable law violations, or other good and substantial cause. Because obligations under both the lease and the program contract bind successor owners, operators who sell assisted-unit properties typically ensure that buyers are made aware of these continuing obligations before closing.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 42-11.2-7 gives tenants in rental-assistance-program units significant stability protections: leases continue indefinitely, and an eligible owner may only end a tenancy for serious or repeated lease violations, violations of state or local law, or other good and substantial cause. Importantly, these protections do not disappear if the property is sold — the new owner is bound by the same lease and program-contract obligations. Tenants who believe a termination does not meet the standards set out in § 42-11.2-7 may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization or review whether a complaint can be raised with the relevant state agency or as a defense in any eviction proceeding.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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