R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 45-26 § 45-26-12
Housing for people who are elderly — Disabled veterans
Operative Text
Every person, regardless of sex, who was disabled while serving in the military or naval service of the United States in the Spanish American war, the insurrection in the Philippines, the China relief expedition, World War I, World War II, or in any conflict or war, whether declared or undeclared, and who was honorably discharged, or who was discharged under conditions other than dishonorable, or who, if not discharged, served honorably, shall, if that person meets all other qualifications in his or her application for placement in a public housing for people who are elderly project, be the first to be provided any available accommodations in a project regardless of any other prior applications.
Under R.I. Gen. Laws § 45-26-12, a person who was disabled during military or naval service for the United States — spanning conflicts from the Spanish-American War through any declared or undeclared war — and who received an honorable or other-than-dishonorable discharge (or served honorably without discharge) holds a priority position for placement in public housing designated for elderly residents. This priority applies regardless of the applicant's sex and supersedes other pending applications, provided the individual meets all remaining eligibility requirements for the specific project. The provision effectively creates a first-in-line status for this category of disabled veterans within Rhode Island's elderly public housing system.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Public housing operators and managers administering elderly housing projects in Rhode Island must be familiar with the priority framework established by § 45-26-12, which places qualifying disabled veterans at the front of the placement queue ahead of other applicants. A compliant operator generally maintains intake procedures that identify and verify an applicant's veteran status, nature of discharge, and service-connected disability, and applies the statutory priority before filling available units from the general waitlist. Documenting how each placement decision was made — and how veteran priority was evaluated — is a standard practice for operators seeking to demonstrate compliance with this provision.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 45-26-12, disabled veterans who served in qualifying U.S. military or naval conflicts and received an honorable or other-than-dishonorable discharge may have a legal right to be placed ahead of other applicants for available units in Rhode Island public elderly housing projects, as long as they meet the project's other eligibility criteria. Tenants or applicants who believe this priority was not properly applied to their situation may consider raising the issue directly with the housing authority administering the project, filing a complaint with the relevant Rhode Island housing agency, or reaching out to a tenant-rights or veterans-services organization for general information about the process. Keeping records of application dates, discharge documentation, and any correspondence with the housing authority can be useful when pursuing any of these general paths.
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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