(a)(1)  In any instance in which a mobile home park is to be sold or leased for any purpose which would result in a discontinuance of the mobile home park, the mobile home park owner shall give at least one year written notice by certified mail return receipt requested to each mobile home resident of the proposed sale or lease.

(2)  The mobile home park owner shall pay to any resident who is entitled to receive notice pursuant to this section, relocation benefits of up to four thousand dollars ($4,000) or the actual relocation expenses incurred, whichever is less. The relocation benefits shall be payable within ten (10) days of the departure of the resident and the removal of the mobile home unit from the park. In the event that the resident fails to remove the unit from the park and the park owner is required to remove the unit, the relocation benefits shall be reduced by an amount equal to the documented out of pocket moving costs incurred by the park owner for the physical removal of the unit.

(3)  Any mobile home park owner shall provide to each resident who is entitled to receive relocation benefits pursuant to this section, a rental agreement. The agreement shall begin on the date of the issuance of the notice of discontinuance. The provisions of the rental agreement shall not alter in any manner the tenancy arrangement existing between the park owner and resident prior to issuance of the notice of discontinuance, except with respect to the amount of annual rent, which may be increased by an amount not to exceed the increase in the consumer price index for urban consumers, published by the United States department of labor, bureau of labor statistics, from the calendar year immediately preceding the date upon which the rental agreement is commenced plus the proportionate amount of any documented increase in real estate taxes or other municipal fee or charge; provided, that the total amount of the increase shall not exceed ten percent (10%) of the annual rent charged in the immediately preceding year. Once a resident has received a notice of discontinuance, his or her rent, and fees, shall not be increased unless a year has passed from the date of the last increase imposed upon the resident.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 31-44-3.2

  • Department: means the department of business regulation. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-44-1
  • in writing: include printing, engraving, lithographing, and photo-lithographing, and all other representations of words in letters of the usual form. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-16
  • Lease: A contract transferring the use of property or occupancy of land, space, structures, or equipment in consideration of a payment (e.g., rent). Source: OCC
  • Owner: means a licensee or permittee or any person who owns, operates, or maintains a mobile- and manufactured-home park. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-44-1
  • park: means a plot of ground upon which four (4) or more mobile and manufactured homes, occupied for residential purposes are located. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-44-1
  • real estate: may be construed to include lands, tenements, and hereditaments and rights thereto and interests therein. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-10
  • Resident: means an owner or renter occupying a mobile and manufactured home in a mobile- and manufactured-home park with the consent of the owner as defined in subdivision (11) of this section. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-44-1
  • United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8

(b)  Any new resident taking up residence at the park, after the initial notice of discontinuance has been mailed, shall be given a copy of the notice in hand prior to his or her signing a lease and/or placing his or her unit in the park. The new resident shall be provided a form upon which he or she shall acknowledge in writing having received a copy of the notice.

(c)  Any new resident taking up residence at the park after the initial notice of discontinuance has been mailed and who receives a copy of the notice of discontinuance provided for in the preceding paragraph shall not be entitled to any relocation benefits as provided for in this section.

History of Section.
P.L. 1991, ch. 238, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 119, § 1; P.L. 2009, ch. 146, § 1.