Finding an apartment may be easier for California pet owners under new legislation

SACRAMENTO, California — California pet owners struggling to find a rental that accepts their furry, four-legged family members would have an easier time renting new housing under proposed state legislation that would ban blanket no-pet policies and ban landlords from charging extra fees for common companions such as cats and dogs.

Supporters of the bill, which recently cleared a key committee, say the lack of pet-friendly accommodations is pushing renters to forego housing or give up beloved pets to overcrowded shelters. They say the legislation would also allow more tenants with unapproved pets to come out of the shadows.

Renter Andrea Amavisca of Sacramento said she and her boyfriend searched for more than a month for a place that would accept their two-year-old cattle dog mix. There were few options and potential landlords didn’t want to call her after learning the couple had a dog.

They eventually found a two-bedroom apartment after meeting the landlord and paying an extra $500 for the deposit.

“It’s really terrible that there are limitations you have to consider when making a choice for your personal life,” she said.

But landlords are pushing back, saying they’re concerned about the cost of repairs, liability for possible dog bites and a nuisance that could drive away other tenants. They also want state lawmakers to allow higher security deposits — which lawmakers last year limited to one month’s rent — to remove possible urine and feces stains in carpets or repair damage to wood floors.

“There are bad people and there are bad dogs, and it’s our job to screen that and make sure we provide a safe environment for everyone,” said Russell Lowery, executive director of the California Rental Housing Association.

The proposal, authored by Assembly Member Matt Haney, a San Francisco Democrat and president of the tenant association, would not require all landlords to accept common pets such as cats and dogs.

But landlords would have to provide reasonable justifications, such as public health, for denying a pet. A landlord may not inquire about pets until an applicant has been approved, and applicants must notify the landlord that they have or plan to acquire a pet at least three days before signing a lease. If the landlord refuses the pet, the applicant will decide whether to seek shelter elsewhere.

The landlord cannot require additional rent or deposit for a pet either. If passed, the bill would apply to new leases that begin on or after January 1.

Ivan Blackshear already rents to tenants with cats in his triplex in Chico, a small city north of Sacramento. But he says the issue of pets and security deposits should be left up to the property owner and any agreements they reach with their tenants. It should not, he said, be imposed by politicians trying to curry favor with voters.

“Choosing landlords like me – small investors like me – out of California won’t solve high rent; it’s going to make it even worse,” said Blackshear, who once had to replace the wood floor in a rental home because of a tenant with a cat.

Assemblymember Isaac Bryan, a Democrat who represents parts of Los Angeles, said he and his fiancée, a lawyer, were barred from renting several places just because of Darius, their well-behaved Great Dane.

“Darius is the sweetest dog,” said Bryan, vice chairman of the Legislative Tenants’ Caucus. “And so it was shocking, and it showed that this simple barrier of having a companion animal could directly lead to housing insecurity and homelessness. if it is not addressed.”

Animal welfare organizations are among those supporting the bill.

Ann Dunn, director of Oakland Animal Services, says the number of people giving up their pets has skyrocketed since the city of Oakland’s eviction moratorium ended last summer. In 2022, the shelter averaged almost 240 dogs every month; now it is 350 per month.

“We’re seeing a huge spike in the number of people saying they’ve recently become homeless,” she says. “Or they choose between housing or the ability to keep their pets.”

The bill goes to the General Assembly for a floor vote. If passed, it would go to the Senate for consideration.

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Har reported from San Francisco.