APPA continues to work with and support Animal Policy Group (APG) to advance pet-friendly housing initiatives and keep families and pets together. Momentum is building as coalition infrastructure takes shape.
The LIHTC and QAP plan is under review, and the staff draft was published for public comment. APG, along with Operation Kindness and My Shared Home Project, will submit comments before the August 14 deadline. While most substantial changes are made during the staff drafting phase through lobbyists, this is an opportunity to start conversations ahead of future QAP revisions.
Upon the recommendation of Councilor Blackmon, APG will meet with Dallas Councilmember Gracey in August. To bring Fort Worth into the fold, APG has also worked with Operation Kindness to schedule a meeting with Councilmember Hill and Fort Worth Housing Solutions in August. The goal in both cities will be to pursue an equitable policy on pet transparency.
In July, APG worked with the Quinn Center for Animal Welfare Innovation to comb through our Dallas housing dataset. APG found that market-rate housing overall does a good job of providing pet-policy transparency; the focus will be on prioritizing affordable housing to ensure that rental pet policies are transparent for all renters at all income levels.
After conversations with the Dallas Housing & Homelessness Division and Office of Economic Development, APG believes the City may be able to require or incentivize the development of pet-inclusive housing in subsidized housing either funded by the City or that requires the City's approval (e.g. LIHTC projects). This would integrate pet-inclusiveness into the financial DNA of new developments and would increase equitable access to pet-inclusive housing for low-income tenants. APG will present this policy during our Dallas meetings and discuss a similar path during our Ft. Worth meeting as well as gain insight into the feasibility in their city.
The city of Dallas is having ongoing budget discussions through August. APG has scheduled meetings to educate councilmembers on our initiative and get feedback on the feasibility and timeline.
Housing and Permitting Committee Chairwoman Avalos’ chief of staff expressed in APG’s July 8 meeting that her team is interested in championing this initiative, and APG will reconnect with her staff in August to discuss next steps and a possible timeline for introducing the bill. APG has shared its policy proposals and research materials with her team.
APG will meet with on-the-ground coalition members from Humane World and the Senior State Director in early August to touch base. Four city council members have been contacted, and APG will reconnect with local shelters and advocacy groups to update policy papers and build out a stronger coalition.
In the meantime, APG has also reached out to additional food banks to expand its reach into Southwest, Southeast, and North Portland concerning pets and housing decisions.
APG connected with Tucson’s Multi-Agency Resource Coordinator at the end of July and scheduled an August phone call to keep its initiative on the city’s radar. The coordinator has received materials providing examples of different solutions that benefit cities and states, as well as an Arizona-specific deck covering housing data and existing laws.
At its June 30 meeting, the San Diego City Council introduced a Residential Rental Price Gouging Fee Exploitation and Cost Transparency Ordinance to reduce price gouging and increase transparency in the rental process. The ordinance, inactive since October, was docketed as an informational, no-vote item to allow the council to openly discuss and shape the proposal. It limits landlord fees, including deposits, recurring fees, and late fees, and seeks to ban pet rent.
The council took public comment on the ordinance; APG submitted a comment in support and will continue to monitor closely.
Each time we achieve a milestone, we observe an increase in the number of households with pets. This rise in pet ownership significantly boosts demand for products and services among our members, including pet food, supplies, veterinary care, and technological innovations. By remaining a member, you play a crucial role in supporting this strategic initiative, which is essential for the well-being and future growth of the pet industry. Discover more about the other advocacy projects that APPA is actively engaged in here.
You can learn more about the Animal Policy group here.