Pet Friendly Housing Update – June 2026

APPA continues to work with and support Animal Policy Group (APG) to advance pet-friendly housing initiatives and keep families and pets together.  In addition to the legislative efforts detailed below, APG also advanced the Pets and Families Coalition by:

• creating the governance document that will serve as a roadmap for decision-making and coalition initiatives;

• hiring and onboarding a part-time administrator; and

• presenting at the U.S. Conference of Mayors with APPA, Mars Petcare, HABRI, and MFA as well as to the Association for Animal Welfare Advancement (AAWA) on end-of-session updates, pet and housing bills and coalition formation  

Completed Project and Successful Outcomes 

Denver: Pets and Housing Research 

APG visited the Denver Animal Shelter to meet with Colorado Pet Inclusive Housing Coalition supporters at a community forum, where community leaders, advocates, and researchers connected to advance one goal: creating housing systems where people and pets can stay together.  The new research regarding the impacts of pets and housing in Colorado can be replicated elsewhere across the country.  

San Antonio: Pet Deposit Program 

The San Antonia Pet Deposit Program launched in June and is currently accepting applications.  The city has made and distributed flyers and billboards to promote the new program. 

Washington DC: Roscoe’s Law (Pets and Housing Act of 2024) 

Key elements of Roscoe’s law, originally passed in 2024, will go into effect in October of this year.  APG was involved in passage of the Pets and Housing Act of 2024, which included housing protections related to pet rent/deposits/fees and prohibitions on breed, weight, and size discrimination.  Implementation of these provisions were effectively delayed due to a disputed passage linking the entire bill to other legislative items.  This has been rectified so that both the fee and breed elements go into effect on October 1, 2026. 

Updates: Ongoing Projects 

STATE 

Arizona HB4017/ SB1582: Prohibiting Ownership and Breed/Size Restrictions for Homeowners 

The HOAs’ breed ban legislation did not pass during the 2026 session. Despite receiving bipartisan support, the bill was ultimately not brought forward for consideration in the Senate, preventing a vote by the full chamber.   

APG’s continued alliance with Humane World, ASPCA, Arizona Pet Project, and Arizona Humane Society will be key for 2027 legislation. APG will work with the PFHC to determine if an Arizona bill is a good fit for the coalition’s 2027 agenda. 

LOCAL

Dallas: Transparency in Advertising and/or Affordable Housing Reform  

Upon the recommendation of Councilor Blackmon, APG will reach out to additional council members to focus on preliminary committee work. 

Portland: Pet Rent/Deposit Caps, Prohibiting Breed/Weight/Size Restrictions, and Transparency in Advertising

APG reconnected with the Housing and Permitting Committee Chairwoman Avalos's office and scheduled a meeting for July 8. In advance of the meeting, we shared research materials, sample language, and survey data specific to Portland.  

Additionally, APG has held successful meetings with a councilor, helping to build support for potential policy changes.  

The APG team also reached out to more community food banks in Southwest Portland to expand our dataset on homelessness and pet ownership.

Tucson, Arizona: Early Outreach and Coordination

AAPG connected with the Tucson mayor’s office, which expressed interest in pet-inclusive housing policy, and shared that it has also been in communication with the Tucson city manager’s office.  APG has offered to set up a meeting with both teams to discuss potential collaboration.  

Learn More

Every time we reach a milestone, the number of households with pets tends to increase. This surge in pet ownership effectively boosts demand for a range of products and services among all our members, including pet food, supplies, veterinary services, and tech innovations. By staying a member, you play a crucial role in supporting this strategic initiative, which is vital for the well-being and future expansion 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.