R.I. Gen. Laws ch. 45-26 § 45-26-13
Housing for people who are elderly — Posting of disabilities — Enforcement by local fire authorities
Operative Text
(a) Upon request of any tenant in a public housing for people who are elderly project, the managing authority shall post, on or near the exterior door of the apartment of the tenant, an indication of any disability of the tenant in a form and size that is immediately understood in the event of emergency or evacuation. (b) The local fire authorities have the duty of accomplishing the purpose of this section, and of enforcing that purpose.
Rhode Island General Laws § 45-26-13 establishes a requirement that managing authorities of public housing projects for elderly residents post a disability indicator on or near a tenant's exterior apartment door when that tenant requests it. The posting must be in a form and size that can be immediately understood during an emergency or evacuation. Local fire authorities are responsible for carrying out and enforcing the purposes of this provision.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 45-26-13, operators of public elderly housing projects are expected to have a process in place to receive and act on tenant requests for disability postings at exterior apartment doors. A compliant managing authority ensures that any posted indicators meet the 'immediately understood' standard — meaning they are clear and visible enough to be useful to emergency responders during an evacuation. Because local fire authorities hold enforcement responsibility under this section, maintaining open communication with those agencies about posting formats and standards is a practice commonly associated with compliance.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section § 45-26-13 gives tenants in public elderly housing the right to request that a disability indicator be posted on or near their exterior apartment door to assist emergency responders. If a managing authority does not fulfill such a request, the local fire authorities are the designated enforcement body under this provision and may be contacted to address non-compliance. Tenant-rights organizations familiar with Rhode Island housing law can also help residents understand the options available when a managing authority does not respond to a posting request.
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.
Effective Timeline
References Out
No outbound references recorded yet for this provision.
References In
No inbound references recorded yet for this provision.