09/05/2026
RI RENTAL NEWS | PROVIDENCE
The proposed 4% Providence rent cap is not law.
Providence City Council passed the rent-stabilization ordinance in April, but Mayor Brett Smiley vetoed it. The Council’s May 15 attempt to override the veto failed.
That means the proposed 4% annual rent cap never took effect.
This is important for both renters and landlords because older articles and social media posts discussing the proposal are still online and can easily be mistaken for current law.
Bottom line: Providence does not currently have a 4% annual rent cap.