R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 45-25 § 45-25-18.10
Housing for people who are elderly — Disabled veterans
Operative Text
Every person, regardless of sex, who was disabled while serving in the military or naval service of the United States in the Spanish American war, the insurrection in the Philippines, the China relief expedition, World War I, World War II, or in any conflict or war, whether declared or undeclared, and who was honorably discharged, or who was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, or who, if not discharged, served honorably, may, if that person meets all other qualifications in his or her application for placement in a public housing for people who are elderly project, be the first to be provided any available accommodations in the project regardless of any other prior applications.
Rhode Island General Laws § 45-25-18.10 establishes a priority placement rule for certain public housing projects designated for elderly residents. Under this provision, a veteran who was disabled during military or naval service in any of the listed conflicts — ranging from the Spanish-American War through any declared or undeclared war — and who received an honorable or non-dishonorable discharge (or served honorably without discharge) is entitled to be placed ahead of other applicants when accommodations become available, provided that person meets all other eligibility requirements for the project. The rule applies regardless of the applicant's sex.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators and administrators of public housing for elderly residents in Rhode Island should be aware that § 45-25-18.10 creates a statutory priority for qualifying disabled veterans over other applicants, regardless of when competing applications were submitted. A compliant housing program generally maintains intake procedures that identify and verify a veteran's disability status, discharge characterization, and service history so that priority placement can be applied correctly when a unit becomes available. Administrators typically document how priority determinations are made to demonstrate adherence to this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 45-25-18.10 of Rhode Island General Laws gives qualifying disabled veterans a right to be placed first in line for available units in public elderly housing projects, ahead of other applicants who may have applied earlier. Tenants or applicants who believe this priority was not honored may consider raising the provision as a basis for review of their application status with the housing authority administering the project. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices familiar with Rhode Island housing law can help individuals understand whether their service record and discharge status meet the criteria outlined in this section.
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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