R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 45-24.2 § 45-24.2-4
Establishment of enforcement agencies
Operative Text
The city and town councils authorized to adopt ordinances relating to minimum standards may further provide for the creation and establishment of divisions, offices, departments, bureaus, and agencies and their respective officers, deputies, and agents as may be required to enforce and administer the powers and duties authorized by this chapter.
Rhode Island General Laws § 45-24.2-4 authorizes city and town councils—those already empowered to set minimum housing standards—to create the local governmental bodies needed to carry out that authority. This means a municipality may establish dedicated divisions, offices, departments, bureaus, or agencies, along with the staff to run them, specifically for enforcing and administering housing standards under this chapter. The provision is an enabling rule: it grants local governments the structural flexibility to build whatever enforcement apparatus their ordinances require.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 45-24.2-4, the specific local agency or office responsible for housing-standards enforcement in a given Rhode Island municipality is determined by that city or town's own ordinances. Compliant operators generally identify which local division, bureau, or department has been established under this chapter in their municipality and direct any compliance inquiries or permit applications to that body. Staying current with the local enforcement structure helps operators respond appropriately when inspections or notices are issued.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 45-24.2-4 means that the agency responsible for enforcing minimum housing standards in your Rhode Island city or town was created—and is defined—by local ordinance adopted under this chapter. Tenants can typically identify the relevant local office (such as a housing division or code-enforcement bureau) by contacting their city or town hall or reviewing the municipality's published ordinances. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with local Rhode Island housing law can also help identify the correct body for filing complaints or raising housing-standard violations.
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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