RI S2294

Landlords prohibited from evicting tenants or refusing to renew leases except for specified "good cause" reasons, even after lease expiration, requiring court approval for all evictions

Valid grounds for eviction include: nonpayment of rent, substantial lease violations (with 10-day cure period), nuisance conduct, property damage, illegal use of premises, or unreasonable denial of landlord access

Rent increases exceeding 4% or 1.5 times the annual CPI change (whichever is greater) create a rebuttable presumption that unpaid rent resulted from an unreasonable increase designed to circumvent the law

Exemptions apply to owner-occupied buildings with fewer than 4 units, sublessors recovering units for personal use, employment-related housing, and properties already covered by state or federal eviction regulations

Tenants age 62 or older and disabled persons receive additional protections and cannot be evicted for landlord personal use in buildings under 12 units; tenant waivers of these rights are void as contrary to public policy