All dogs may go to heaven, but California owners aren't so accommodating.
Pet owners may have a harder time finding apartments due to the glut of landlords who do not allow dogs, cats or other animals in their buildings. However, a new bill seeks to open more apartments to tenants with pets.
In fact, the legislation would allow landlords to ask about pet ownership only after the tenant's application has been approved, says Assemblyman Matt Haney (D-San Francisco), the bill's author.
Haney's proposal would end blanket bans on specific pets, he said, adding that the measure would help alleviate California's housing crisis.
Haney presented Assembly Bill 2216 earlier this month, which it said in a news release requires owners “to have a reasonable cause[s] for not allowing a pet in a rental unit.”
“I have heard many constituents talk about the incredible obstacles and challenges they faced in finding a home simply because they have pets,” Haney told The Times on Wednesday. “They have been repeatedly denied because they have a dog, even though their dog is an emotional support animal, and they need accommodations.”
Haney said he was inspired by a British bill introduced in Parliament in May that makes pet ownership “an implied term of assured tenancy,” unless “the the owner reasonably refuses.”
Haney said landlords' restrictions on pets are crippling for most California renters.
He pointed out that almost 70% of the 17 million families that rent in the state are pet owners and, of them, almost 3 million live in Los Angeles County.
Statistics on pet ownership vary.
He American Veterinary Medical Association. said that in 2020, 45% of all American households owned dogs and 26% owned cats. Among them, 39% of all renters preferred canines and 29% preferred felines.
A widely cited 2014 Apartments.com survey places pet ownership among tenants at 72%. human society also lists 72% of tenants as pet owners.
What is indisputable, Haney said, is the low number of rentals in California that say they are “pet friendly.” Her staff identified daily listings over 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 make up more than two-thirds of renters and are excluded from units,” Haney said. “I'm a big advocate for building access to housing, and this is a housing issue.”
Andrea Amavisca, a legislative advocate 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 app suddenly stopped answering our calls once they found out we had a dog,” Amavisca said in a statement. “Or others would require a pet deposit close to $1,000, which would put the unit completely out of our budget.”
Amavisca said it was unfair that almost all owners “had a different pet policy with fees that varied at their discretion,” meaning they could charge whatever they wanted. Some charged just $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 would not prohibit owners from excluding certain types of pets.
“We're not saying that all owners should accept all animals,” Haney said.
Haney's bill defines “a common household pet” as “a domesticated animal, including a dog or cat, that is commonly kept in the home for pleasure and not for commercial purposes.”
When asked whether legally acquired boa constrictors, lizards, fish or other pets met the definition, Haney said the bill focused on “companion animals,” such as dogs or cats.
Calls and emails to California Apartment Assn. and the Apartment Association. of Southern California cities that requested comments on this bill were not responded to.
California Oaks Property Management, which manages residential and commercial properties in Ventura County, listed a number of disadvantages regarding pet ownership in a 2023 report. post to owners that included property damage, noise complaints and liability issues for possible animal attacks.
California Oaks recommended that owners charge an additional deposit of $250 to $500 depending on the breed.
Haney said he hoped to get some reaction from the owners.
“I understand that some will be concerned about accepting tenants with pets that cause damage in a way they want to avoid,” he said. “I am open to dialogue.”
Haney said his bill would also help bring approximately 829,000 tenants hiding pets of the owners in the sun.
The bill is in its early stages and has not yet been referred to an Assembly committee, according to state legislative records, although it may come up for a hearing on March 9.
