R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 31-44 § 31-44-13
Right of mobile home owners to peaceably assemble — Right to communicate
Operative Text
(a) No provision contained in any bylaw, rental agreement, regulation, or rule pertaining to a mobile home park shall infringe upon the right of the mobile home owners to peaceably assemble in an open public meeting for any lawful purpose, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, in the common areas or recreational areas of the mobile home park. (b) No provisions contained in any bylaw, rental agreement, regulation, or rule pertaining to a mobile home park shall infringe upon the right of the mobile home owners or tenants to communicate or assemble among themselves, at reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, for the purpose of discussing any problems relative to the mobile home park. The discussions may be held in the common areas or recreational areas of the park, including halls or centers, or in any resident's home. In addition, the park owner or developer may not unreasonably restrict the use of any facility, including the use of utilities, when requested. Written notice must be provided to the mobile home park management and/or owner of the time and place for the assembly. The assembly shall be open to all park residents. (c) No provision contained in any bylaw, rental agreement, regulation, or rule pertaining to a mobile home park shall prohibit any mobile home owner of the mobile home park from canvassing mobile home owners of the mobile home park for the purposes described in this subsection. For the purposes of this subsection, the term "canvassing" includes an oral or written request; the distribution, circulation, posting, or publication of a notice; or a general announcement requesting the payment of membership dues or other matters relevant to the membership, federation, or organization. Canvassing shall be done at a reasonable time or times and in a reasonable manner. It is the intent of the legislature, through the enactment of this subsection, to prohibit any owner, developer, or manager of a mobile and manufactured home park from prohibiting free communication among mobile home owners or tenants in the guise of regulations or rules restricting or limiting canvassing for association, federation, or organization dues or other association, federation, or organization matters.
Rhode Island General Laws § 31-44-13 protects the rights of mobile home park residents to gather, communicate, and organize among themselves. No park bylaw, rental agreement, or rule may block residents from holding peaceful assemblies in common or recreational areas, discussing park-related concerns in shared spaces or private homes, or canvassing fellow residents about association matters. Park owners and developers are also barred from unreasonably restricting access to facilities or utilities when residents request them for these purposes, and written notice of any assembly must be given to park management in advance.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 31-44-13, compliant mobile home park operators review their bylaws, rental agreements, and rules to ensure none of them restrict residents' rights to assemble, communicate, or canvass for association purposes. Operators generally make common and recreational areas reasonably available for resident meetings and do not place unreasonable limits on facility or utility use when residents request access for lawful gatherings. When written notice of an assembly is received from residents, operators acknowledge it and ensure the meeting remains open to all park residents.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 31-44-13 of the Rhode Island General Laws gives mobile home park residents the right to gather in common areas, meet in one another's homes, and canvass neighbors about park-related or association matters — and no park rule or rental agreement can take those rights away. If a park owner, manager, or developer attempts to enforce a bylaw or regulation that restricts these activities, residents may have grounds to challenge that restriction as a violation of this statute. Tenants who believe their assembly or communication rights have been infringed may wish to consult a tenant-rights organization, seek guidance from Rhode Island legal aid, or explore whether a complaint can be filed through the appropriate state authority.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 15, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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