Rhode Island General Laws Title 23. Health and Safety § 23-27.3-125.7. Lien for emergency repairs

Whenever the owner fails to comply with an order to repair, board, or demolish a building, sign, or structure as required by the building official, and the building official has made repairs, boarded, or demolished the building, sign, or structure, reasonable costs incurred by the building official in the action shall be a lien against the real property.  The lien shall be recorded with the records of land evidence of the municipality, and the lien shall incur legal interest from the date of recording.  The cost incurred by the building official, plus the interest thereon, in the boarding or demolishing of a building, sign, or structure, shall be added to the amount of taxes due on the real estate where the building, sign, or structure was located.  The tax collector of the city or town shall have the same powers and shall be subject to the same duties with respect to such claim as in the case of the annual taxes upon real estate, and the provisions of law relative to the collection of annual taxes, the sale or taking of land for the nonpayment thereof and the redemption of land so sold or taken shall apply to such a claim.