Rhode Island General Laws
Article I - General Provisions
Section 34-36.1-1.02. - Applicability.

§ 34-36.1-1.02. Applicability.
(a)(1) This chapter applies to all condominiums created within this state after July 1, 1982, except that any condominium created within this state prior to July 1, 1982, may voluntarily accept the provisions of this chapter in lieu of the provisions under which it was originally organized. Acceptance shall be evidenced by an agreement in writing executed by and in behalf of the condominium association and by all of the owners of all of the individual condominium units within the condominium, in which agreement it is clearly stated that they all accept the provisions of this chapter in lieu of those in the statute under which the condominium was organized and wish to be governed in the future by the provisions of this chapter. The agreement shall be recorded in the land evidence records of each and every town or city where all or any part of the land in the condominium concerned may be located and shall become effective when first so recorded. The acceptance shall only apply to the governance of the condominium concerned as to all matters which are prospective or executory in nature; and nothing herein shall be deemed to abrogate, amend, limit, effect, or impair the continued effectiveness, legality, or validity of all actions lawfully taken by or in behalf of the condominium prior to the effective date of the acceptance, including, but without limitation, the condominium declaration and all amendments thereto, the by-laws of the condominium and/or of its association, all deeds, mortgages, leases and any further documents affecting the titles or rights of unit owners, or of the condominium or the prior lawful acts or deeds of any kind, of the condominium association, its officers, directors, or members.
(2) Sections 34-36.1-1.05 (separate titles and taxation), 34-36.1-1.06 (applicability of local ordinances, regulations, and building codes), 34-36.1-1.07 (eminent domain), 34-36.1-2.03 (construction and validity of declaration and bylaws), 34-36.1-2.04 (description of units), 34-36.1-3.02(a)(1) — (6) and (11) — (17) (powers of unit owners’ association), 34-36.1-3.11 (tort and contract liability), 34-36.1-3.16 (lien for assessments), 34-36.1-3.18 (association records), 34-36.1-4.09 (resale of units), and 34-36.1-4.17 (effect of violation on rights of action; attorney’s fees), § 34-36.1-3.20 (enforcement of declaration, bylaws and rules), and 34-36.1-1.03 (definitions), to the extent necessary in construing any of those sections, apply to all condominiums created in this state before July 1, 1982; but those sections apply only with respect to events and circumstances occurring after July 1, 1982 and do not invalidate existing provisions of the declaration, bylaws, plats, or plans of those condominiums.
(3) A condominium created as an additional phase by amendment of a condominium created prior to July 1, 1982, if the original declaration contemplated the amendment, shall be deemed to be a condominium created prior to July 1, 1982; provided, however, the provisions of subdivision (a)(2) shall apply as defined therein.
(4) Section 34-36.1-3.21 (foreclosure of condominium lien) applies, with respect to all condominiums created in this state prior to June 19, 1991, only with respect to events and circumstances occurring after June 18, 1991, does not invalidate existing provisions of the declarations, bylaws, plats, or plans of those condominiums, and applies in all respects to all condominiums created in this state after June 18, 1991.
(b) The provisions of the Condominium Ownership Act, chapter 36 of this title, do not apply to condominiums created after July 1, 1982 and do not invalidate any amendment to the declaration, bylaws, plats, and plans of any condominium created before July 1, 1982 if the amendment would be permitted by this chapter. The amendment must be adopted in conformity with the procedures and requirements specified by those instruments and by chapter 36 of this title. If the amendment grants to any person any rights, powers, or privileges permitted by this chapter, all correlative obligations, liabilities, and restrictions in this chapter also apply to that person.
(c) This chapter does not apply to condominiums or units located outside this state, but the public offering statement provisions (§§ 34-36.1-4.02 — 34-36.1-4.07) apply to all contracts for the disposition thereof signed in this state by any party unless exempt under § 34-36.1-4.01(b).
History of Section.P.L. 1982, ch. 329, § 2; P.L. 1991, ch. 247, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 369, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 8, § 1; P.L. 1994, ch. 356, § 1.

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