R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 45-25 § 45-25-18.1
Adoption of rules and regulations
Operative Text
(a) To the extent not inconsistent with law, each housing authority shall adopt and promulgate reasonable rules which establish: (1) Eligibility requirements for admission to housing. (2) Obligations of tenants, including regulations for the use and occupation of housing units and common areas. (3) Just cause for the termination of the right of use and occupation, so that a tenant may be clearly apprised of the precise reasons for a termination. Just cause for the termination includes, but is not limited to, a serious or repeated failure to comply with the obligations of the lease or the lawful rules and regulations of the housing authority, such as a failure to pay successive installments of rent; the continued use of a unit for any unlawful purpose; the maintenance of any unsafe, unsanitary, or unhealthful condition in any dwelling unit or in any of the common areas; and ineligibility for continued occupancy by reason of over income. (4) Conditions for continued occupancy, taking account of such factors as family size and changes in the family, fluctuations in income, availability of standard accommodations elsewhere, and other relevant matters; provided, that no increase in the annual income of the tenant or in the aggregate annual income of the tenant and the tenant's family is cause for any increase in the tenant's rent or for termination of the lease for a period of one year after the increase in the tenant's income or in the aggregate income of the tenant and the tenant's family has occurred. (b) The authority may adopt other rules that are necessary to the just and effective administration of local housing projects constructed and operated as provided by this chapter. (c) For all rules to be valid, they shall be published in a conspicuous place in each housing project operated by the authority.
Rhode Island General Laws § 45-25-18.1 requires each local housing authority to formally adopt and publish rules covering who may live in public housing, what tenants are expected to do, the specific reasons a tenancy may be ended, and the conditions under which occupancy may continue. The law specifies that just-cause termination reasons must be stated precisely enough that a tenant clearly understands why their tenancy is being ended. Notably, a rise in a tenant's household income cannot trigger a rent increase or lease termination for at least one year after that income change occurs. All rules must be posted in a visible location within each housing project to be considered valid.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Housing authorities operating under § 45-25-18.1 are generally expected to maintain a written rulebook that covers admissions criteria, tenant obligations, just-cause termination grounds, and continued-occupancy conditions. Compliant authorities ensure that any notice of termination identifies the precise just-cause reason—such as repeated nonpayment of rent, unlawful use of a unit, or unsanitary conditions—so that the basis is unambiguous to the tenant. Operators also take care to post all adopted rules conspicuously throughout each housing project, since unpublished rules are not considered valid under this section, and they refrain from raising rent or initiating termination solely because a tenant's income increased until at least one year has passed since that increase.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 45-25-18.1, public housing tenants in Rhode Island have the right to receive a clear, specific reason whenever a housing authority seeks to end their tenancy, and the authority's rules must be publicly posted in the housing project to be enforceable against residents. Tenants whose household income rises are protected from rent increases or lease terminations based solely on that income change for a full year following the increase. Tenants who believe a termination notice lacks a stated just cause, or that unpublished rules are being applied against them, may consider raising those issues as a defense in any formal proceeding, reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization, or contacting the housing authority's grievance process for guidance on next steps.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation