Pet Friendly Housing Update – May 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, some APG highlights from May include:

• Launching the Pets & Families Housing Coalition, including meeting with key organizations interested in joining as well as funders to secure the coalition budget 

• Data collection, both qualitative through interviews and quantitative through housing data research 

Completed Project and Successful Outcomes 

San Antonio: Pet Deposit Program 

APG met with San Antonio Neighborhood and Housing Services, Animal Care Services, and the contract partner to provide feedback and insights from the Denver pilot deposit program and to brainstorm effective ways to reach potential participants.  Deposits will begin this month, with ongoing training for shelter staff on mitigating housing concerns for potential pet adopters.

Updates: Ongoing Projects 

STATE 

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

APG has partnered with Humane World for Animals to sponsor a bill introduced in February that would prohibit homeowner associations (HOAs) from enforcing rules that restrict pet ownership based on breed, size, or weight.  Legislation is moving again for the first time since Governor Katie Hobbs lifted her month-long bill moratorium a few weeks ago.  The House reconvened on June 1, 2026, after a lengthy month-long recess, and the strategically held bill is scheduled for a Floor Vote the first week of June. The Senate has adjourned until the second week of June, and APG expects to be scheduled on the Senate Floor calendar shortly. As chamber activity resumes, securing Floor votes requires activating APG’s grassroots campaigns and vigilantly managing vote counts.

LOCAL

Dallas: Transparency in Advertising and/or Affordable Housing Reform  

APG met with Dallas Council Member Paula Blackmon, who fully supports a pet policy transparency initiative and who has connected APG with other key council members to share materials with, as well as a council member in Ft. Worth to make this initiative a dual effort.  The possibility of adding affordable housing developer incentives into the city’s policy was discussed. 

APG partnered with the Quinn Center for Animal Welfare Innovation to launch a data-driven research project examining truly pet-inclusive housing in some of our key cities. The data is pulled from rental advertisement sites and looks beyond “pets allowed” to account for specific breed/weight/size restrictions, pet rent and deposit amounts, number of pets allowed, and availability of pet amenities.  Dallas is the first city in APG’s data set, and this information will be vital for upcoming materials and in district-specific meetings. 

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

In restructuring government committees, Portland dismantled the Homelessness and Housing Committee and reorganized it into the Housing & Permitting Committee, which held its first meeting in May.  APG reached out to the Chairwoman’s office to share its initiative and recent housing survey results from a local Portland food bank. Her office connected APG to their chief of staff and follow-up was recommended after the budget process at the end of June.

In May, APG partnered with Humane World and its first Portland food bank to distribute a pets and housing survey to their clients to learn more about issues people may be facing related to their pets. This food bank is in outer NE Portland and serves over 140 families each week. This preliminary information is intended as an early snapshot of lived experiences and barriers families with pets are facing in Portland.  Even in the initial sample, some consistent themes emerged around affordability, pet rent, restrictions, and housing access, further reinforcing APG’s dedication to the Portland community.  This was conveyed to the council member and more outreach is planned.  

Kansas City, Missouri: Pet Rent Ordinance

APG has scheduled its first official coalition meeting with Kansas City Pet Project (the organization with a municipal contract with the city) and Humane World for June 5.

Learn More

Each time we accomplish a goal, the number of pet-owning households rises. This increase directly drives higher demand for products and services across all our members, including food, supplies, veterinary care, and technology. By maintaining your membership, you support this strategic initiative, which helps ensure the health and future growth of the entire pet industry. Explore the other advocacy initiatives that APPA is currently supporting here.

You can learn more about the Animal Policy group here.