New Shoreham (Block Island), Rhode Island: Rent Control (none exists)
New Shoreham (Block Island) has no rent control: claims that the town caps rent increases at 5% or the inflation rate have no basis in the town code, which contains no rent regulation chapter at all.
Cited to Code of the Town of New Shoreham (no rent control chapter) · Verified August 13, 2026
The claim circulates in several landlord guides but does not correspond to any ordinance the town has adopted. Rhode Island state law, which sets no rent cap, governs rent increases in the town.
What is in force
New Shoreham has no rent control or rent stabilization ordinance. The town code contains no chapter regulating rent increases; the only rent-adjacent local law is a short-term rental licensing ordinance adopted in July 2024, and the Block Island Housing Board develops affordable housing and administers a small rental tax without any rent-cap authority.
What housing is covered
Rentals in New Shoreham are governed by Rhode Island state landlord-tenant law, which sets no rent cap.
Eviction and termination rules
State law governs; the town adds no rent-regulation-related eviction rules.
Other requirements
Short-term rentals require a town license under the 2024 ordinance (Town Code Chapter 8, Article XII).
Notes and caveats
- Where the false claim appears — more than one aggregator guide attributes a '5% or inflation, whichever is lower' rent cap to New Shoreham, with disputes heard by 'local housing authorities.' No such ordinance exists in the town code, and the Block Island Housing Board has no rent-cap function.
Citations
- Code of the Town of New Shoreham (no rent control chapter) (verified 2026) Official source
This page records local law. Statewide rules — deposits, notice periods, late fees, entry, evictions — live on the Rhode Island hub, and the state-level position on local rent regulation appears there with its own citations and verification date.