(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.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 31-44-13

  • Mobile and manufactured home: means a detached residential unit designed:

    (i)  For a long term occupancy and containing sleeping accommodations, a flush toilet, and a tub or shower bath and kitchen facilities, and having both permanent plumbing and electrical connections for attachment to outside systems;

    (ii)  To be transported on its own wheels or on a flatbed or other trailer or detachable wheels; and

    (iii)  To be placed on pads, piers, or tied down, at the site where it is to be occupied as a residence complete and ready for occupancy, except for minor and incidental unpacking and assembly operations and connection to utilities systems. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-44-1

  • Owner: means a licensee or permittee or any person who owns, operates, or maintains a mobile- and manufactured-home park. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-44-1
  • park: means a plot of ground upon which four (4) or more mobile and manufactured homes, occupied for residential purposes are located. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-44-1
  • Resident: means an owner or renter occupying a mobile and manufactured home in a mobile- and manufactured-home park with the consent of the owner as defined in subdivision (11) of this section. See Rhode Island General Laws 31-44-1

(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.

History of Section.
P.L. 1991, ch. 160, § 1.