Bill would put an end to ‘no dogs allowed’ at California rentals

All dogs can go to heaven, but California owners are not so welcome.

Pet owners may find it more difficult to find apartments due to the surfeit of landlords who do not allow dogs, cats or other animals in their buildings. A new bill, however, seeks to open up more apartments for rent with pets.

The legislation, in fact, allows landlords to apply for pet ownership only after a tenant’s application has been approved, says Assemblyman Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), author of the project

Haney’s proposal would end blanket bans on specific pets, he said, adding that the measure would help alleviate California’s housing crisis.

Haney introduced Assembly Bill 2216 At the beginning of the month, he said in a press release, it requires that the owners “have a reasonable reason[s] to not allow a pet in a rental unit.”

“I’ve heard from many constituents about the incredible obstacles and challenges they’ve faced in finding homes simply because they own pets,” Haney told The Times on Wednesday. “They’ve been repeatedly denied because they have a dog — even though their dog is an emotional support animal — and they need housing.”

Haney said he found inspiration from a British Bill introduced in Parliament in May which makes pet ownership “an implicit term of an assured tenancy”, unless “the the owner reasonably refuses.”

Haney said landlord restrictions on pets are crippling for most California renters.

He noted that nearly 70% of the state’s 17 million rental households are pet owners and, of those, nearly 3 million. lives in Los Angeles County.

Statistics on pet ownership vary.

tea American Veterinary Medical Assn. reported that in 2020, 45% of all American households own dogs and 26% own cats. Among them, 39% of all tenants favor dogs and 29% prefer cats.

A widely cited 2014 Apartments.com survey ranked pet ownership among renters at 72%. The Human Society It also lists 72% of renters as pet owners.

What is indisputable, Haney said, is the low number of rentals in California that claim to be “pet friendly.” His staff identified daily listings over the course of a week on the real estate website Zillow that showed 21% of available rentals in San Francisco allowed pets, and 26% in Los Angeles.

“Pet owners in California are more than two-thirds of renters, and they are excluded from units,” Haney said. “I’m a big supporter of building access to housing, and this is a housing issue.”

Andrea Amavisca, a senior legislative counsel at the California Immigration Policy Center, said she and her partner spent more than a month trying to find a two-bedroom rental unit in Sacramento that would allow their small mixed breed dog.

“Owners who initially liked our application will stop answering our calls once they find out we have a dog,” Amavisca said in a statement. “Or others would require a pet deposit close to $1,000 which would put the unit totally out of our budget.”

Amavisca said it was unfair that almost all owners “had a different pet policy with fees that varied according to discretion,” meaning they could charge whatever they liked. Some paid as little as $20 a month, while others asked for $100 and some wanted four-figure cleaning deposits.

Haney’s bill does not address fees, and the legislation does not prevent owners from excluding certain types of pets.

“We’re not saying every owner should accept every animal,” Haney said.

Haney’s bill defines a “common pet” as “a domestic animal, including a dog or cat, that is commonly kept in the home for pleasure rather than commercial purposes.”

When asked whether boa constrictors, lizards, fish or other legally purchased pets met the definition, Haney said the bill focused on “companion animals” such as dogs or cats.

Call and email the California Apartment Assn. and the Apartment Assn. of California Southern Cities seeking comment on this bill were not returned.

California Oaks Property Management, which manages residential and commercial properties in Ventura County, has listed a number of disadvantages regarding pet ownership in 2023. mail to owners which included property damage, noise complaints and liability issues from possible animal attacks.

California Oaks recommended that owners charge an additional deposit of $250 to $500 depending on the breed.

Haney said he expects to get some pushback from the owners.

“I understand that some will be concerned about the potential of taking in tenants with pets that cause damage in ways they want to avoid,” he said. “I am open to dialogue.”

Haney said his bill would also help bring it down 829,000 tenants who hide pets from the owners to the sun.

The bill is in its infancy and has not yet been referred to a committee of the Assembly, according to state legislative records, although it may be presented for a hearing on March 9.