2022 -- H 8121 SUBSTITUTE A

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LC005691/SUB A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- HOUSING MAINTENANCE AND OCCUPANCY

CODE

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Slater, Diaz, and Felix

     Date Introduced: April 08, 2022

     Referred To: House Municipal Government & Housing

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 45-24.3-19 of the General Laws in Chapter 45-24.3 entitled "Housing

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Maintenance and Occupancy Code" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     45-24.3-19. Repairs and other corrective action -- Demolition -- Revolving fund.

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     (a) Repairs and other corrective action.

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     (1) Whenever an owner, operator, or agent of a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or

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structure fails, neglects, or refuses to make repairs or other corrective action called for by a second

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order or notice of violation issued pursuant to § 45-24.3-17, the enforcing officer may undertake

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the repairs or action, when in his or her judgment a failure to make them will endanger the public

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health, safety, or welfare, and the cost of the repairs and action will not exceed fifty percent (50%)

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of the fair market value of the structure to be repaired.

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     (2) Notice of the intention to make repairs or take other corrective action shall be served

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upon the owner, operator, or agent pursuant to § 45-24.3-17.

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     (3) Every owner, operator, or agent of a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure,

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who receives notice of the intention of the enforcing officer to make repairs or take other corrective

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action, shall give entry and free access to the agent of the enforcing officer for the purpose of

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making repairs.

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     (4) Any owner, operator, agent, or occupant of a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or

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structure, who refuses, impedes, interferes with, hinders, or obstructs entry by the agent pursuant

 

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to a notice of intention to make repairs or take other corrective action, is subject to a civil penalty

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of twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each failure to comply with this section.

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     (5) When repairs are made or other corrective action taken at the direction of the enforcing

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officer, cost of the repairs and corrective action constitutes a debt in favor of the corporate unit

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against the owner of the repaired structure. In the event the owner fails, neglects, or refuses to pay

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the corporate unit the amount of this debt, it is recoverable in a civil action against the owner or his

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or her successor, brought in a court of competent jurisdiction by the corporate unit which possesses

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all rights of a private creditor.

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     (b) Designation of unfit dwellings, dwelling units, rooming units, and structures.

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     (1) Any dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure shall be designated as unfit for

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human habitation when any of the following defects or conditions are found, and when, in the

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opinion of the enforcing officer, these defects create a hazard to the health, safety, or welfare of the

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occupants or of the public:

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     (i) The structure is damaged, decayed, dilapidated, unsanitary, unsafe, or vermin-infested.

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     (ii) The structure lacks illumination, ventilation, or required thermal and sanitation

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facilities.

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     (iii) The general condition of location is unsanitary, unsafe, or unhealthful.

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     (2) Whenever any dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure has been designated

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as unfit for human habitation, the enforcing officer shall placard the dwelling, dwelling unit, or

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rooming unit, or structure, indicating that it is unfit for human habitation, and, if occupied, shall

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order the dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure vacated within a reasonable time, that

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time to be not more than thirty (30) days.

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     (3) No dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure, designated as unfit for human

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habitation, and which has been placarded and vacated, shall be used again for human habitation

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until written approval is secured from the enforcing officer and the placard removed by the

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enforcing officer.

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     (4) The enforcing officer shall rescind the designation and remove the placard when the

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defect or condition upon which the designation and the placarding was based has been removed or

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eliminated as to cause the dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure to be deemed by the

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enforcing officer as a safe, sanitary, and fit place or unit for human habitation.

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     (5) No person shall deface or remove the placard from any dwelling, dwelling unit,

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rooming unit, or structure which has been designated as unfit for human habitation and has been

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placarded, except as provided in this section.

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     (6) Any person affected by any decision of the enforcing officer or by any designation or

 

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placarding of a dwelling, dwelling unit, rooming unit, or structure as unfit for human habitation,

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shall be granted a hearing on the matter before the enforcing officer under the procedure established

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in § 45-24.3-21.

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     (7) The enforcing officer may order the owner of any building, which has been in the past

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and/or is vacant and open, to comply with the following specifications: all openings (including

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doors and windows) from cellar to second floor and all windows above the second floor leading to

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fire escapes, porches, or structural appurtenances, on all floors, must be covered from the exterior

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with three-eighths inch (⅜") thick exterior plywood or one-half inch (½") notched boards firmly

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secured and with protective coating. All other windows must be so secured by either one-quarter

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inch (¼") thick exterior plywood or one-half inch (½") notched boards.

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     (c) Demolition of dwellings, dwelling units, or rooming units designated as unfit for human

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habitation. (1) The enforcing officer shall order a dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit to be

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demolished if it has been designated as unfit for human habitation, has been placarded, has been

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vacated, and has not been put into proper repair as to rescind the designation as unfit for human

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habitation and to cause the placard to be removed, and is determined by the enforcing officer not

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to warrant repair under this section.

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     (2) The owner of any dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit, ordered demolished, shall

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be given notice of this order in the manner provided for service of notice in § 45-24.3-17, and given

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a reasonable time, not to exceed ninety (90) days, to demolish the structure.

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     (3) Any owner aggrieved by the notice to demolish may, within ten (10) days, seek a

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reconsideration of the matter in the manner provided, and may seek a formal hearing in the manner

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provided in § 45-24.3-21.

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     (4) When the owner fails, neglects, or refuses to demolish an unfit, unsafe, or unsanitary

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dwelling, dwelling unit, or rooming unit within the requisite time, the enforcing officer may apply

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to a court of competent jurisdiction for a demolition order to undertake the demolition. The court

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may grant the order when no reconsideration or hearing on the matter is pending. The cost of the

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demolition shall create a debt in favor of this corporate unit against the owner, and is recoverable

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in a civil action brought by the corporate unit which possesses all the rights of a private creditor.

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     (5) Whenever a dwelling is demolished, whether carried out by the owner or by the

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enforcing officer, the demolition shall include the filling in of the excavation remaining on the

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property on which the demolished dwelling was located, in a manner that eliminates all potential

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danger to the public health, safety, or welfare arising from the excavation.

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     (6) All demolition shall be preceded by an inspection of the premises by the appropriate

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authority as provided for by the laws of this state.

 

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     (d) Relocation of occupants. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, no

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dwelling shall be vacated or demolished by the enforcing officer, under the powers granted to him

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or her by the provisions of this chapter, until persons occupying the dwelling at the time the

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compliance order is issued have been offered housing accommodations in a decent, safe, and

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sanitary dwelling which meets the requirements of this chapter. Should a municipality relocate

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occupants, the cost of relocation shall constitute a debt in favor of the corporate unit against the

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owner, and is recoverable in a civil action brought by the corporate unit which possesses all the

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rights of a private creditor.

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     (e) Revolving fund. (1) There is created a revolving fund for the purpose of supporting the

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cost of repairs and other corrective action or demolition made by the enforcing officer pursuant to

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this section. Into this fund shall be paid:

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     (1)(i) All civil penalties collected for violations of this chapter pursuant to § 45-24.3-18.

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     (2)(ii) All license fees collected pursuant to this chapter.

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     (3)(iii) All judgments collected in actions to recover the costs of repair and other corrective

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action and demolition, pursuant to this section.

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     (4)(iv) Any other revenues that the corporate unit may from time to time authorize to be

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paid into this fund.

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     (5)(v) All donations and grants designed to promote the purposes of this chapter from

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public or private sources. The enforcing officer is declared to be the authorized agency of the

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corporate unit to apply for and receive all grants, loans, and gifts of funds to promote the purposes

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of this chapter.

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     (2) Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this subsection, the corporate unit is hereby

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authorized to select from a wide array of vendors, contractors and subcontractors, and third-party

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administrators to administer a loan program or loan programs utilizing the revolving fund to assist

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qualifying owners, operators, and agents with the cost of repairs and other corrective action or

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demolition. If the plan includes the purchase of professional assistance, an appropriate contract

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shall be prepared and local purchasing policies shall be followed.

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     (f) Rent payments. Notwithstanding any lease or other agreement, if the enforcing officer

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of any corporate unit has ordered the repair, alteration, or improvement of a dwelling in that the

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officer designates the dwelling to be an unfit dwelling, as provided for in this section, then the

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obligation of rent to the landlord is suspended and the rent shall be paid into the revolving fund as

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established in subsection (e) of this section. by the enforcing officer, to be paid thereafter to the

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landlord or any other party authorized to make repairs (including the enforcing officer) to defray

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the cost of correcting the conditions, and no action shall be maintained by the landlord against the

 

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tenant for rent or for possession. Sums paid into the revolving fund in excess of those necessary to

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make repairs shall be paid to the landlord on completion. If the tenant fails to make payments to

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the enforcing officer then an action for rent or possession may be maintained, subject to defenses

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that the tenant may have under the lease or agreement.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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LC005691/SUB A

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO TOWNS AND CITIES -- HOUSING MAINTENANCE AND OCCUPANCY

CODE

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     This act would allow a municipality to impose a debt in favor of the corporate unit against

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the owner when the municipality relocates the occupant and would authorize the corporate unit to

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choose the vendors to assist qualifying homeowners with repair costs.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC005691/SUB A

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