Requires a housing code enforcement officer to give a copy of any housing code violation notice to all tenants of the building affected by an alleged housing code violation, along with any hearing dates scheduled for the violation.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would require housing code enforcement officers to directly notify tenants when a housing code violation has been found in their building. Currently, when a landlord or property owner receives a violation notice, tenants living in the building may not automatically be informed. Under this bill, enforcement officers would be required to give every tenant in the affected building their own copy of the violation notice, as well as information about any hearings scheduled to address the violation.

The bill primarily affects renters living in buildings where housing code violations have been cited. These violations can involve issues like unsafe conditions, faulty utilities, structural problems, or other failures to meet basic housing standards. By receiving direct notice, tenants would know about problems in their building and would have the opportunity to be aware of — and potentially participate in — any official proceedings related to fixing those problems. Landlords and property owners would not be directly impacted in terms of their existing obligations, but enforcement officers would have a new procedural requirement added to their process.

The bill is currently in the Rhode Island Senate, where it has been referred to the Senate Housing and Municipal Government Committee. The committee has recommended holding it for further study, meaning lawmakers want more time to review and discuss the proposal before moving it forward. A hearing has been scheduled for March 26, 2026.