2024 -- H 7698 | |
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LC004984 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024 | |
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A N A C T | |
RELATING TO PROPERTY -- CONDOMINIUM LAW | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Speakman, Carson, Cotter, McGaw, Giraldo, and Potter | |
Date Introduced: February 23, 2024 | |
Referred To: House Judiciary | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Sections 34-36.1-1.03, 34-36.1-2.07 and 34-36.1-3.03 of the General Laws |
2 | in Chapter 34-36.1 entitled "Condominium Law" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 34-36.1-1.03. Definitions. |
4 | In the declaration and bylaws, unless specifically provided otherwise or the context |
5 | otherwise requires, and in this chapter: |
6 | (1) “Affiliate of a declarant” means any person who controls, is controlled by, or is under |
7 | common control with a declarant. |
8 | (i) A person “controls” a declarant if the person: |
9 | (A) Is a general partner, officer, director, or employer of the declarant, |
10 | (B) Directly or indirectly or acting in concert with one or more other persons, or through |
11 | one or more subsidiaries, owns, controls, holds with power to vote, or holds proxies representing, |
12 | more than twenty percent (20%) of the voting interest in the declarant, |
13 | (C) Controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors of the declarant, or |
14 | (D) Has contributed more than twenty percent (20%) of the capital of the declarant. |
15 | (ii) A person “is controlled by” a declarant if the declarant: |
16 | (A) Is a general partner, officer, director, or employer of the person, |
17 | (B) Directly or indirectly or acting in concert with one or more other persons, or through |
18 | one or more subsidiaries, owns, controls, holds with power to vote, or holds proxies representing, |
19 | more than twenty percent (20%) of the voting interest in the person, |
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1 | (C) Controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors of the person, or |
2 | (D) Has contributed more than twenty percent (20%) of the capital of the person. |
3 | (iii) Control does not exist if the powers described in this subdivision are held solely as |
4 | security for an obligation and are not exercised. |
5 | (2) “Allocated interests” means the undivided interest in the common elements, the |
6 | common expense liability, and votes in the association allocated to each unit. |
7 | (3) “Association” or “unit owners’ association” means the unit owners’ association |
8 | organized under § 34-36.1-3.01. |
9 | (4) “Common elements” means all portions of a condominium other than the units. |
10 | (5) “Common expenses” means expenditures made by or financial liabilities of the |
11 | association, together with any allocations to reserves. |
12 | (6) “Common expense liability” means the liability for common expenses allocated to each |
13 | unit pursuant to § 34-36.1-2.07. |
14 | (7)(i) “Condominium” means real estate, portions of which are designated for separate |
15 | ownership and the remainder of which is designated for common ownership solely by the owners |
16 | of those portions. Real estate is not a condominium unless the undivided interests in the common |
17 | elements are vested in the unit owners. |
18 | (ii) Provided that each unit owner has a vested, undivided interest in the common elements |
19 | greater that 0.0 percent, no minimum percentage interest in the common elements is otherwise |
20 | required by this chapter. |
21 | (8) “Conversion building” means a building that at any time before creation of the |
22 | condominium was occupied wholly or partially by persons other than purchasers and persons who |
23 | occupy with the consent of purchasers. |
24 | (9) “Declarant” means any person or group of persons acting in concert who: |
25 | (i) As part of a common promotional plan, offers to dispose of his, her or its interest in a |
26 | unit not previously disposed of; or |
27 | (ii) Reserves or succeeds to any special declarant right. |
28 | (10) “Declaration” means any instruments, however denominated, that create a |
29 | condominium, and any amendments to those instruments. |
30 | (11) “Development rights” means any right or combination of rights reserved by a declarant |
31 | in the declaration to: |
32 | (A) Add real estate to a condominium, |
33 | (B) Create units, common elements, or limited common elements within a condominium, |
34 | (C) Subdivide units or convert units into common elements, or |
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1 | (D) Withdraw real estate from a condominium. |
2 | (12) “Person with a disability” means any person who is unable to engage in any substantial |
3 | gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can |
4 | be expected to result in death or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not |
5 | less than twelve (12) months or any person having an impairment of mobility or vision which is |
6 | expected to be of at least twelve (12) months duration, and is a substantial impediment to his or her |
7 | ability to live independently. |
8 | (13) “Dispose” or “disposition” means a voluntary transfer to a purchaser of any legal or |
9 | equitable interest in a unit, but does not include the transfer or release of a security interest. |
10 | (14) “Executive board” means the body, regardless of name, designated in the declaration |
11 | to act on behalf of the association. |
12 | (15) [Deleted by P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 80, and P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 80 which enacted |
13 | identical amendments to this section.] |
14 | (16) “Identifying number” means a symbol or address that identifies only one unit in a |
15 | condominium. |
16 | (17) “Land only units” shall mean units designated as land only units on the plats and plans |
17 | which units may be comprised entirely or partially of unimproved real property and the air space |
18 | above the real property. The boundaries of a land only unit are to be described pursuant to § 34- |
19 | 36.1-2.05(a)(5). Land only units may, but need not, contain a physical structure. The declaration |
20 | may provide for the conversion of land only units to other types of units and/or common elements |
21 | provided the conversion shall be effective only upon the recording of an amendment to the |
22 | declaration which amendment will include new plats and plans identifying any portion of the land |
23 | only unit converted to another type of unit and/or common element. |
24 | (18) “Leasehold condominium” means a condominium in which all or a portion of the real |
25 | estate is subject to a lease the expiration or termination of which will terminate the condominium |
26 | or reduce its size. |
27 | (19) “Limited common element” means a portion of the common elements allocated by the |
28 | declaration or by operation of § 34-36.1-2.02(2) or (4) for the exclusive use of one or more but |
29 | fewer than all of the units. |
30 | (20) “Master association” means an organization described in § 34-36.1-2.20, whether or |
31 | not it is also an association described in § 34-36.1-3.01. |
32 | (21) “Offering” means any advertisement, inducement, solicitation, or attempt to |
33 | encourage any person to acquire any interest in a unit, other than as security for an obligation. An |
34 | advertisement in a newspaper or other periodical of general circulation, or in any broadcast medium |
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1 | to the general public, of a condominium not located in this state, is not an offering if the |
2 | advertisement states that an offering may be made only in compliance with the law of the |
3 | jurisdiction in which the condominium is located. |
4 | (22) “Person” means a natural person, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, |
5 | association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision or agency, or other legal or |
6 | commercial entity. (In the case of a land trust, however, “person” means the beneficiary of the trust |
7 | rather than the trust or the trustee.) |
8 | (23) “Purchaser” means any person, other than a declarant or a person in the business of |
9 | selling real estate for his or her own account, who by means of a voluntary transfer acquires a legal |
10 | or equitable interest in a unit other than: |
11 | (i) A leasehold interest including renewal options of less than twenty (20) years, or |
12 | (ii) As security for an obligation. |
13 | (24) “Real estate” means any leasehold or other estate or interest in, over, or under land, |
14 | including structures, fixtures, and other improvements and interests which by custom, usage, or law |
15 | pass with a conveyance of land though not described in the contract of sale or instrument of |
16 | conveyance. “Real estate” includes parcels with or without upper or lower boundaries, and spaces |
17 | that may be filled with air or water. |
18 | (25) “Residential purposes” means use for dwelling or recreational purposes, or both. |
19 | (26) “Special declarant rights” means rights reserved for the benefit of a declarant to: |
20 | (i) Complete improvements indicated on plats and plans filed with the declaration, (§ 34- |
21 | 36.1-2.09), |
22 | (ii) To exercise any development right, (§ 34-36.1-2.10), |
23 | (iii) To maintain sales offices, management offices, signs advertising the condominium, |
24 | and models, (§ 34-36.1-2.15), |
25 | (iv) To use easements through the common elements for the purpose of making |
26 | improvements within the condominium or within real estate which may be added to the |
27 | condominium, (§ 34-36.1-2.16), |
28 | (v) To make the condominium part of a larger condominium or a planned community, (§ |
29 | 34-36.1-2.21), |
30 | (vi) To make the condominium subject to a master association, (§ 34-36.1-2.20), |
31 | (vii) Or to appoint or remove any officer of the association or any master association or |
32 | any executive board member during any period of declarant control, (§ 34-36.1-3.03(d)). |
33 | (27) “Time share” means a right to occupy a unit or any of several units during five (5) or |
34 | more separated time periods over a period of at least five (5) years, including renewal options, |
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1 | whether or not coupled with an estate or interest in a condominium or a specified portion thereof. |
2 | (28) “Unit” means a physical portion of the condominium designated for separate |
3 | ownership or occupancy, the boundaries of which are described pursuant to § 34-36.1-2.05(a)(5). |
4 | (29) “Unit owner” means a declarant or other person who owns a unit, or a lessee of a unit |
5 | in a leasehold condominium whose lease expires simultaneously with any lease, the expiration or |
6 | termination of which will remove the unit from the condominium, but does not include a person |
7 | having an interest in a unit solely as security for an obligation. |
8 | (30) "Deed restricted unit" means any unit that qualifies as low- and moderate-income |
9 | housing as set forth in § 45-53-3. |
10 | 34-36.1-2.07. Allocation of common element interest, votes, and common expense |
11 | liabilities. |
12 | (a) The declaration shall allocate a fraction or percentage of undivided interests in the |
13 | common elements and in the common expenses of the association, and a portion of the votes in the |
14 | association, to each unit including land only units and state the formulas used to establish those |
15 | allocations. Those allocations may not discriminate in favor of units owned by the declarant, but |
16 | may discriminate in favor of units subject to a housing restriction as set forth in § 34-39.1-3. Except |
17 | as set forth in § 34-36.1-1.03(7), no minimum percentage interest in the common elements is |
18 | otherwise required. Notwithstanding the above, in associations where the minority, fifty-one |
19 | percent (51%) or less, of the units are deed restricted units, increases in monthly common expenses |
20 | may not exceed five percent (5%) of the proceeding year's monthly common expenses. |
21 | (b) If units may be added to or withdrawn from the condominium, the declaration must |
22 | state the formulas to be used to reallocate the allocated interests among all units included in the |
23 | condominium after the addition or withdrawal. |
24 | (c) The declaration may provide: (i) That different allocations of votes shall be made to the |
25 | units on particular matters specified in the declaration; (ii) For cumulative voting only for the |
26 | purpose of electing members of the executive board; and (iii) For the class voting on specified |
27 | issues affecting the class if necessary to protect valid interests of the class. A declarant may not |
28 | utilize cumulative or class voting for the purpose of evading any limitation imposed on declarants |
29 | by this chapter, nor may units constitute a class because they are owned by a declarant. |
30 | (d) Except for minor variations due to rounding, the sum of the undivided interests in the |
31 | common elements and common expense liabilities allocated at any time to all the units must each |
32 | equal one if stated as fractions or one hundred percent (100%) if stated as percentages. In the event |
33 | of discrepancy between an allocated interest and the results derived from application of the |
34 | pertinent formula, the allocated interest prevails. |
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1 | (e) The common elements are not subject to partition, and any purported conveyance, |
2 | encumbrance, judicial sale, or other voluntary or involuntary transfer of an undivided interest in |
3 | the common elements made without the unit to which that interest is allocated, is void. |
4 | (f) Subject to the provisions of the declaration and other provisions of law, and except as |
5 | provided in § 34-36.1-2.12 which provides for the relocation of boundaries between adjoining units, |
6 | the owners of any two (2) or more units may apply for a reallocation of their respective allocated |
7 | interests to the executive board; but their application shall not attempt to alter common element |
8 | interests except as they relate to the proposed reallocation of unit interests. Unless the executive |
9 | board determines within thirty (30) days, that the reallocations are unreasonable, the association |
10 | shall prepare an amendment that identifies the units involved, states the reallocations, is executed |
11 | by those unit owners, contains words of conveyance between them, and upon recordation, is |
12 | indexed in the name of the grantor and the grantee. |
13 | 34-36.1-3.03. Executive board members and officers. |
14 | (a) Except as provided in the declaration, the bylaws, subsection (b), or in other provisions |
15 | of this chapter, the executive board may act in all instances on behalf of the association. In the |
16 | performance of their duties, the officers and members of the executive board are required to |
17 | exercise: |
18 | (1) If appointed by the declarant, the care required of fiduciaries of the unit owners; and |
19 | (2) If elected by the unit owners, ordinary and reasonable care. |
20 | (b) The executive board may not act on behalf of the association to amend the declaration |
21 | (§ 34-36.1-2.17), to terminate the condominium, or to elect members of the executive board or |
22 | determine the qualifications, powers and duties, or terms of office of executive board members, but |
23 | the executive board may fill vacancies in its membership for the unexpired portion of any term. |
24 | (c)(1) Within thirty (30) days after adoption of any proposed budget for the condominium, |
25 | the executive board shall provide a summary of the budget to all the unit owners, and shall set a |
26 | date for a meeting of the unit owners to consider ratification of the budget not less than fourteen |
27 | (14) nor more than thirty (30) days after mailing of the summary. Unless at that meeting a majority |
28 | of all the unit owners or any larger vote specified in the declaration reject the budget, the budget is |
29 | ratified, whether or not a quorum is present. In the event the proposed budget is rejected, the |
30 | periodic budget last ratified by the unit owners shall be continued until such time as the unit owners |
31 | ratify a subsequent budget proposed by the executive board. |
32 | (2) Any provision in any declaration or bylaws which requires unit owner approval for any |
33 | increase of the total amount of an association annual assessment, or any portions thereof, as |
34 | proposed by the executive board pursuant to subsection (c)(1) of this section, above the total |
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1 | amount of the association annual assessment formulated for a deed restricted unit as set forth in § |
2 | 34-36.1-2.07, or any portions thereof, for the previous association fiscal year, shall be void. |
3 | (d)(1) Subject to subsection (e), the declaration may provide for a period of declarant |
4 | control of the association, during which period a declarant, or persons designated by him, may |
5 | appoint and remove the officers and members of the executive board. Regardless of the period |
6 | provided in the declaration, a period of declarant control terminates no later than the earlier of: |
7 | (i) Sixty (60) days after conveyance of eighty percent (80%) of the units which may be |
8 | created to unit owners other than a declarant; |
9 | (ii) Two (2) years after all declarants have ceased to offer units for sale in the ordinary |
10 | course of business; or |
11 | (iii) Two (2) years after any development right to add new units was last exercised. |
12 | (2) A declarant may voluntarily surrender the right to appoint and remove officers and |
13 | members of the executive board before terminations of that period, but in that event he or she may |
14 | require, for the duration of the period of declarant control, that specified actions of the association |
15 | or executive board, as described in a recorded instrument executed by the declarant, be approved |
16 | by the declarant before they become effective. |
17 | (e) Not later than sixty (60) days after conveyance of twenty-five percent (25%) of the units |
18 | which may be created to unit owners other than a declarant, at least one member and not less than |
19 | twenty-five percent (25%) of the members of the executive board must be elected by unit owners |
20 | other than the declarant. Not later than sixty (60) days after conveyance of fifty percent (50%) of |
21 | the units which may be created to unit owners other than a declarant, not less than one-third (⅓) of |
22 | the members of the executive board must be elected by unit owners other than the declarant. |
23 | (f) Not later than the termination of any period of declarant control, the unit owners shall |
24 | elect an executive board of at least three (3) members, at least a majority of whom must be unit |
25 | owners. The executive board shall elect the officers. The executive board members and officers |
26 | shall take office upon election. |
27 | (g) Notwithstanding any provision of the declaration or bylaws to the contrary, the unit |
28 | owners, by a two-thirds (⅔) vote of all persons present and entitled to vote at any meeting of the |
29 | unit owners at which a quorum is present, may remove any member of the executive board with or |
30 | without cause, other than a member appointed by the declarant. |
31 | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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LC004984 | |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO PROPERTY -- CONDOMINIUM LAW | |
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1 | This act would define deed restricted unit. This act would further limit the increase in |
2 | annual condominium fees for a deed restricted unit to five percent (5%) of the proceeding year's |
3 | monthly common expenses. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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LC004984 | |
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