Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5330 Compare Versions

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55 2025 -- H 5330
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99 S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
1010 IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
1111 JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
1212 ____________
1313
1414 A N A C T
1515 RELATING TO PROPERTY -- CONDOMINIUM LAW
1616 Introduced By: Representatives Fellela, Costantino, Serpa, Hull, and J. Lombardi
1717 Date Introduced: February 07, 2025
1818 Referred To: House Corporations
1919
2020
2121 It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
2222 SECTION 1. Sections 34-36.1-1.02, 34-36.1-1.03. and 34-36.1-3.08 of the General Laws 1
2323 in Chapter 34-36.1 entitled "Condominium Law" are hereby amended to read as follows: 2
2424 34-36.1-1.02. Applicability. 3
2525 (a)(1) This chapter applies to all condominiums created within this state after July 1, 1982, 4
2626 except that any condominium created within this state prior to July 1, 1982, may voluntarily accept 5
2727 the provisions of this chapter in lieu of the provisions under which it was originally organized. 6
2828 Acceptance shall be evidenced by an agreement in writing executed by and in behalf of the 7
2929 condominium association and by all of the owners of all of the individual condominium units within 8
3030 the condominium, in which agreement it is clearly stated that they all accept the provisions of this 9
3131 chapter in lieu of those in the statute under which the condominium was organized and wish to be 10
3232 governed in the future by the provisions of this chapter. The agreement shall be recorded in the 11
3333 land evidence records of each and every town or city where all or any part of the land in the 12
3434 condominium concerned may be located and shall become effective when first so recorded. The 13
3535 acceptance shall only apply to the governance of the condominium concerned as to all matters 14
3636 which are prospective or executory in nature; and nothing herein shall be deemed to abrogate, 15
3737 amend, limit, effect, or impair the continued effectiveness, legality, or validity of all actions 16
3838 lawfully taken by or in behalf of the condominium prior to the effective date of the acceptance, 17
3939 including, but without limitation, the condominium declaration and all amendments thereto, the by-18
4040 laws of the condominium and/or of its association, all deeds, mortgages, leases, and any further 19
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4444 documents affecting the titles or rights of unit owners, or of the condominium or the prior lawful 1
4545 acts or deeds of any kind, of the condominium association, its officers, directors, or members. 2
4646 (2) Sections 34-36.1-1.03(26) (special assessments), 34-36.1-1.05 (separate titles and 3
4747 taxation), 34-36.1-1.06 (applicability of local ordinances, regulations, and building codes), 34-4
4848 36.1-1.07 (eminent domain), 34-36.1-2.03 (construction and validity of declaration and bylaws), 5
4949 34-36.1-2.04 (description of units), 34-36.1-3.08 (meetings), 34-36.1-3.02(a)(1) — (6) and (11) — 6
5050 (17) (powers of unit owners’ association), 34-36.1-3.06(c) — (d) (bylaws), 34-36.1-3.11 (tort and 7
5151 contract liability), 34-36.1-3.16 (lien for assessments), 34-36.1-3.18 (association records), 34-36.1-8
5252 4.09 (resale of units), and 34-36.1-4.17 (effect of violation on rights of action; attorney’s fees), § 9
5353 34-36.1-3.20 (enforcement of declaration, bylaws and rules), and 34-36.1-1.03 (definitions), to the 10
5454 extent necessary in construing any of those sections, apply to all condominiums created in this state 11
5555 before July 1, 1982; but those sections apply only with respect to events and circumstances 12
5656 occurring after July 1, 1982, and do not invalidate existing provisions of the declaration, bylaws, 13
5757 plats, or plans of those condominiums. 14
5858 (3) A condominium created as an additional phase by amendment of a condominium 15
5959 created prior to July 1, 1982, if the original declaration contemplated the amendment, shall be 16
6060 deemed to be a condominium created prior to July 1, 1982; provided, however, the provisions of 17
6161 subdivision (a)(2) shall apply as defined therein. 18
6262 (4) Section 34-36.1-3.21 (foreclosure of condominium lien) applies, with respect to all 19
6363 condominiums created in this state prior to June 19, 1991, only with respect to events and 20
6464 circumstances occurring after June 18, 1991, does not invalidate existing provisions of the 21
6565 declarations, bylaws, plats, or plans of those condominiums, and applies in all respects to all 22
6666 condominiums created in this state after June 18, 1991. 23
6767 (b) The provisions of the Condominium Ownership Act, chapter 36 of this title, do not 24
6868 apply to condominiums created after July 1, 1982, and do not invalidate any amendment to the 25
6969 declaration, bylaws, plats, and plans of any condominium created before July 1, 1982, if the 26
7070 amendment would be permitted by this chapter. The amendment must be adopted in conformity 27
7171 with the procedures and requirements specified by those instruments and by chapter 36 of this title. 28
7272 If the amendment grants to any person any rights, powers, or privileges permitted by this chapter, 29
7373 all correlative obligations, liabilities, and restrictions in this chapter also apply to that person. 30
7474 (c) This chapter does not apply to condominiums or units located outside this state, but the 31
7575 public offering statement provisions (§§ 34-36.1-4.02 — 34-36.1-4.07) apply to all contracts for 32
7676 the disposition thereof signed in this state by any party unless exempt under § 34-36.1-4.01(b). 33
7777 34-36.1-1.03. Definitions. 34
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8181 In the declaration and bylaws, unless specifically provided otherwise or the context 1
8282 otherwise requires, and in this chapter: 2
8383 (1) “Affiliate of a declarant” means any person who controls, is controlled by, or is under 3
8484 common control with a declarant. 4
8585 (i) A person “controls” a declarant if the person: 5
8686 (A) Is a general partner, officer, director, or employer of the declarant, 6
8787 (B) Directly or indirectly or acting in concert with one or more other persons, or through 7
8888 one or more subsidiaries, owns, controls, holds with power to vote, or holds proxies representing, 8
8989 more than twenty percent (20%) of the voting interest in the declarant, 9
9090 (C) Controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors of the declarant, or 10
9191 (D) Has contributed more than twenty percent (20%) of the capital of the declarant. 11
9292 (ii) A person “is controlled by” a declarant if the declarant: 12
9393 (A) Is a general partner, officer, director, or employer of the person, 13
9494 (B) Directly or indirectly or acting in concert with one or more other persons, or through 14
9595 one or more subsidiaries, owns, controls, holds with power to vote, or holds proxies representing, 15
9696 more than twenty percent (20%) of the voting interest in the person, 16
9797 (C) Controls in any manner the election of a majority of the directors of the person, or 17
9898 (D) Has contributed more than twenty percent (20%) of the capital of the person. 18
9999 (iii) Control does not exist if the powers described in this subdivision are held solely as 19
100100 security for an obligation and are not exercised. 20
101101 (2) “Allocated interests” means the undivided interest in the common elements, the 21
102102 common expense liability, and votes in the association allocated to each unit. 22
103103 (3) “Association” or “unit owners’ association” means the unit owners’ association 23
104104 organized under § 34-36.1-3.01. 24
105105 (4) “Common elements” means all portions of a condominium other than the units. 25
106106 (5) “Common expenses” means expenditures made by or financial liabilities of the 26
107107 association, together with any allocations to reserves. 27
108108 (6) “Common expense liability” means the liability for common expenses allocated to each 28
109109 unit pursuant to § 34-36.1-2.07. 29
110110 (7)(i) “Condominium” means real estate, portions of which are designated for separate 30
111111 ownership and the remainder of which is designated for common ownership solely by the owners 31
112112 of those portions. Real estate is not a condominium unless the undivided interests in the common 32
113113 elements are vested in the unit owners. 33
114114 (ii) Provided that each unit owner has a vested, undivided interest in the common elements 34
115115
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118118 greater that 0.0 percent, no minimum percentage interest in the common elements is otherwise 1
119119 required by this chapter. 2
120120 (8) “Conversion building” means a building that at any time before creation of the 3
121121 condominium was occupied wholly or partially by persons other than purchasers and persons who 4
122122 occupy with the consent of purchasers. 5
123123 (9) “Declarant” means any person or group of persons acting in concert who: 6
124124 (i) As part of a common promotional plan, offers to dispose of his, her or its interest in a 7
125125 unit not previously disposed of; or 8
126126 (ii) Reserves or succeeds to any special declarant right. 9
127127 (10) “Declaration” means any instruments, however denominated, that create a 10
128128 condominium, and any amendments to those instruments. 11
129129 (11) “Development rights” means any right or combination of rights reserved by a declarant 12
130130 in the declaration to: 13
131131 (A) Add real estate to a condominium, 14
132132 (B) Create units, common elements, or limited common elements within a condominium, 15
133133 (C) Subdivide units or convert units into common elements, or 16
134134 (D) Withdraw real estate from a condominium. 17
135135 (12) “Person with a disability” means any person who is unable to engage in any substantial 18
136136 gainful activity by reason of any medically determinable physical or mental impairment which can 19
137137 be expected to result in death or has lasted or can be expected to last for a continuous period of not 20
138138 less than twelve (12) months or any person having an impairment of mobility or vision which is 21
139139 expected to be of at least twelve (12) months duration, and is a substantial impediment to his or her 22
140140 ability to live independently. 23
141141 (13) “Dispose” or “disposition” means a voluntary transfer to a purchaser of any legal or 24
142142 equitable interest in a unit, but does not include the transfer or release of a security interest. 25
143143 (14) “Executive board” means the body, regardless of name, designated in the declaration 26
144144 to act on behalf of the association. 27
145145 (15) [Deleted by P.L. 1999, ch. 83, § 80, and P.L. 1999, ch. 130, § 80 which enacted 28
146146 identical amendments to this section.] 29
147147 (16) “Identifying number” means a symbol or address that identifies only one unit in a 30
148148 condominium. 31
149149 (17) “Land only units” shall mean units designated as land only units on the plats and plans 32
150150 which units may be comprised entirely or partially of unimproved real property and the air space 33
151151 above the real property. The boundaries of a land only unit are to be described pursuant to § 34-34
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155155 36.1-2.05(a)(5). Land only units may, but need not, contain a physical structure. The declaration 1
156156 may provide for the conversion of land only units to other types of units and/or common elements 2
157157 provided the conversion shall be effective only upon the recording of an amendment to the 3
158158 declaration which amendment will include new plats and plans identifying any portion of the land 4
159159 only unit converted to another type of unit and/or common element. 5
160160 (18) “Leasehold condominium” means a condominium in which all or a portion of the real 6
161161 estate is subject to a lease the expiration or termination of which will terminate the condominium 7
162162 or reduce its size. 8
163163 (19) “Limited common element” means a portion of the common elements allocated by the 9
164164 declaration or by operation of § 34-36.1-2.02(2) or (4) for the exclusive use of one or more but 10
165165 fewer than all of the units. 11
166166 (20) “Master association” means an organization described in § 34-36.1-2.20, whether or 12
167167 not it is also an association described in § 34-36.1-3.01. 13
168168 (21) “Offering” means any advertisement, inducement, solicitation, or attempt to 14
169169 encourage any person to acquire any interest in a unit, other than as security for an obligation. An 15
170170 advertisement in a newspaper or other periodical of general circulation, or in any broadcast medium 16
171171 to the general public, of a condominium not located in this state, is not an offering if the 17
172172 advertisement states that an offering may be made only in compliance with the law of the 18
173173 jurisdiction in which the condominium is located. 19
174174 (22) “Person” means a natural person, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, 20
175175 association, joint venture, government, governmental subdivision or agency, or other legal or 21
176176 commercial entity. (In the case of a land trust, however, “person” means the beneficiary of the trust 22
177177 rather than the trust or the trustee.) 23
178178 (23) “Purchaser” means any person, other than a declarant or a person in the business of 24
179179 selling real estate for his or her own account, who by means of a voluntary transfer acquires a legal 25
180180 or equitable interest in a unit other than: 26
181181 (i) A leasehold interest including renewal options of less than twenty (20) years, or 27
182182 (ii) As security for an obligation. 28
183183 (24) “Real estate” means any leasehold or other estate or interest in, over, or under land, 29
184184 including structures, fixtures, and other improvements and interests which by custom, usage, or law 30
185185 pass with a conveyance of land though not described in the contract of sale or instrument of 31
186186 conveyance. “Real estate” includes parcels with or without upper or lower boundaries, and spaces 32
187187 that may be filled with air or water. 33
188188 (25) “Residential purposes” means use for dwelling or recreational purposes, or both. 34
189189
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192192 (26) “Special assessment” means an assessment that is not part of the association budget, 1
193193 (§ 34-36.1-3.03), 2
194194 (26)(27) “Special declarant rights” means rights reserved for the benefit of a declarant to: 3
195195 (i) Complete improvements indicated on plats and plans filed with the declaration, (§ 34-4
196196 36.1-2.09), 5
197197 (ii) To exercise any development right, (§ 34-36.1-2.10), 6
198198 (iii) To maintain sales offices, management offices, signs advertising the condominium, 7
199199 and models, (§ 34-36.1-2.15), 8
200200 (iv) To use easements through the common elements for the purpose of making 9
201201 improvements within the condominium or within real estate which may be added to the 10
202202 condominium, (§ 34-36.1-2.16), 11
203203 (v) To make the condominium part of a larger condominium or a planned community, (§ 12
204204 34-36.1-2.21), 13
205205 (vi) To make the condominium subject to a master association, (§ 34-36.1-2.20), 14
206206 (vii) Or to appoint or remove any officer of the association or any master association or 15
207207 any executive board member during any period of declarant control, (§ 34-36.1-3.03(d)). 16
208208 (27)(28) “Time share” means a right to occupy a unit or any of several units during five (5) 17
209209 or more separated time periods over a period of at least five (5) years, including renewal options, 18
210210 whether or not coupled with an estate or interest in a condominium or a specified portion thereof. 19
211211 (28)(29) “Unit” means a physical portion of the condominium designated for separate 20
212212 ownership or occupancy, the boundaries of which are described pursuant to § 34-36.1-2.05(a)(5). 21
213213 (29)(30) “Unit owner” means a declarant or other person who owns a unit, or a lessee of a 22
214214 unit in a leasehold condominium whose lease expires simultaneously with any lease, the expiration 23
215215 or termination of which will remove the unit from the condominium, but does not include a person 24
216216 having an interest in a unit solely as security for an obligation. 25
217217 34-36.1-3.08. Meetings. 26
218218 (a) A meeting of the association must be held at least once each year. Special meetings of 27
219219 the association may be called by the president, a majority of the executive board or by unit owners 28
220220 having twenty percent (20%), or any lower percentage specified in the bylaws, of the votes in the 29
221221 association. Not less than ten (10) nor more than sixty (60) days in advance of any meeting, the 30
222222 secretary or other officer specified in the bylaws shall cause notice to be hand delivered or sent 31
223223 prepaid by United States mail to the mailing address of each unit or to any other mailing address 32
224224 designated in writing by the unit owner. The notice of any meeting must state the time and place of 33
225225 the meeting and the items on the agenda, including the general nature of any proposed amendment 34
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229229 to the declaration or bylaws, any budget changes, and any proposal to remove a director or officer. 1
230230 (b) Unless authorized in the declaration or bylaws pursuant to subsection (c) of this section, 2
231231 all association meetings shall take place in a physical location located in the city or town or, if not 3
232232 possible, in the county where the condominium is located. 4
233233 (c) In the alternative, if authorized in the declaration or bylaws, all association meetings 5
234234 need not take place in a physical location but rather may take place entirely remotely as provided 6
235235 in subsection (d) of this section. 7
236236 (d) If authorized in the declaration or bylaws, unit owners shall have the right to be counted 8
237237 in order to establish a quorum and to communicate with all other unit owners participating and to 9
238238 vote at association meetings using systems that support image, voice and data transfer over digital 10
239239 networks or telephone circuits using formats determined by the executive board with notice thereof 11
240240 to the unit owners. 12
241241 SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 13
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248248 EXPLANATION
249249 BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
250250 OF
251251 A N A C T
252252 RELATING TO PROPERTY -- CONDOMINIUM LAW
253253 ***
254254 This act would provide that amendments to §§ 34-36.1-1.03 and 34-36.1-3.08 are 1
255255 applicable to condominiums created before July 1, 1982, would provide a definition for the term 2
256256 “special assessment” and would allow, if authorized in declarations or bylaws, unit owners to 3
257257 participate in association meetings remotely. 4
258258 This act would take effect upon passage. 5
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