Rhode Island
GoLocalProv | Business | Bill Introduced Increases Amount of Time for Rent Increase Notice to 90 Days
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
PHOTO: File
Legislation sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Stewart (D-59) would give Rhode Islander renters more notice when their landlord plans to raise their rent.
The bill would require that landlords give tenants 90 days’ notice of any rent increase, or 120 days if the tenant is over age 62.
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The current law requires only 30 days’ notice and 60 days for tenants over 62.
“Imagine living paycheck-to-paycheck, already rent-burdened, and receiving notice of a big rent increase to start the following month. Our current law does not recognize today’s rental conditions in which it is so hard to find affordable apartments and in which families are faced with double-digit percentage rent increases,” said Stewart.
“This bill seeks to give all renters an opportunity to adjust budgets, seek additional employment, or get a security deposit together. It seeks to reduce stress for families by ensuring people have more time to figure out what’s next and how to remain housed,” Stewart added.
State Rep. Stewart PHOTO: Campaign
The legislation has been included in the Working Families Agenda, a list of legislative proposals aimed at keeping families fed and housed affordably, safe transportation and funding the needs of families.
Almost half of Rhode Island renters — 47% statewide — are considered cost-burdened by housing, meaning they spend more than 30% of their income on it, according to HousingWorksRI. Meanwhile, the tight rental market and rent increases that are outpacing income in the state are leaving many renters in difficult situations when their rent goes up. The statewide average for rent on a two-bedroom apartment is $1,996. In order to affordably rent at that cost, a household would need an annual income of $79,840, but the median household income among renters in Rhode Island is only $41,277.
The bill was assigned to the House Judiciary Committee.
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Rhode Island
Rhode Island Blood Center asks for donations after deadly shooting at Brown University
The Rhode Island Blood Center is asking for donations after the fatal shooting at Brown University on Saturday.
Several donor centers have extended hours available as they respond to the emergency.
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Anyone interested can sign up for an appointment on the organization’s website.
Rhode Island
R.I. blood supply was low before Brown mass shooting – The Boston Globe
PROVIDENCE — The Rhode Island Blood Center’s blood supply was low before Saturday’s mass shooting at Brown University, and it is immediately stepping up blood drives to meet the need, an official said Sunday.
“We were definitely dealing with some issues with inventory going into the incident,” Executive Director of Blood Operations Nicole Pineault said.
The supply was especially low for Type 0 positive and negative, which are often needed for mass casualty incidents, she said. Type 0 negative is considered the “universal” red blood donor, because it can be safely given to patients of any blood type.
Pineault attributed the low supply to weather, illness, and the lingering effects of the pandemic. With more people working from home, blood drives at office buildings are smaller, and young people — including college students — are not donating blood at the same rate as they did in the past, she said.
“There are a lot challenges,” she said.
But people can help by donating blood this week, Pineault said, suggesting they go to ribc.org or contact the Rhode Island Blood Center at (401) 453-8383 or (800) 283-8385.
The donor room at 405 Promenade St. in Providence is open seven days a week, Pineault said. Blood drives were already scheduled for this week at South Street Landing in Providence and at Brown Physicians, and the blood center is looking to add more blood drives in the Providence area this week, she said.
“It breaks my heart,” Pineault said of the shooting. “It’s a terrible tragedy. We run blood dives regularly on the Brown campus. Our heart goes out to all of the victims and the staff. We want to work with them to get the victims what they need.”
She said she cannot recall a similar mass shooting in Rhode Island.
“In moments of tragedy, it’s a reminder to the community how important the blood supply really is,” Pineault said. “It’s an easy way to give back, to help your neighbors, and be ready in unfortunate situations like this.”
The Rhode Island Blood Center has donor centers in Providence, Warwick, Middletown, Narragansett, and Woonsocket, and it has mobile blood drives, she noted.
On Sunday, the center’s website said “Donors urgently needed. Hours extended at some donor centers, 12/14.”
Edward Fitzpatrick can be reached at edward.fitzpatrick@globe.com. Follow him @FitzProv.
Rhode Island
Authorities provide update on deadly mass shooting at Brown University in Rhode Island
Authorities said two people were killed and eight more were injured in a mass shooting at Brown University, an Ivy League school in Rhode Island. Authorities said students were on campus for the second day of final exams.
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