12 U.S.C. § 1701r–1: Pet ownership in assisted…

Summary

Owners and managers of federally assisted rental housing for the elderly or handicapped must allow tenants to have common household pets. They cannot refuse to rent to someone or end a lease just because the person has a pet. Within 12 months after November 30, 1983, the Secretaries of Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture had to make rules to make this happen and to help keep housing decent, safe, and sanitary. Those rules let owners set reasonable pet rules after consulting tenants and may consider things like how crowded the building is, pet size and type, possible tenant costs, and pet care standards. Pets that are found to be a nuisance or a health or safety threat can be removed. Federally assisted rental housing for the elderly or handicapped means rental projects getting certain federal housing aid (including under section 1701q or the United States Housing Act of 1937, the National Housing Act, or title V of the Housing Act of 1949) and set aside for elderly or handicapped families.

Title 12, §1701r–1

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(a)Restrictions on ownership

No owner or manager of any federally assisted rental housing for the elderly or handicapped may—

(1)as a condition of tenancy or otherwise, prohibit or prevent any tenant in such housing from owning common household pets or having common household pets living in the dwelling accommodations of such tenant in such housing; or

(2)restrict or discriminate against any person in connection with admission to, or continued occupancy of, such housing by reason of the ownership of such pets by, or the presence of such pets in the dwelling accommodations of, such person.

(b)Rules and regulations

(1)Not later than the expiration of the twelve-month period following November 30, 1983, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and the Secretary of Agriculture shall each issue such regulations as may be necessary to ensure (A) compliance with the provisions of subsection (a) with respect to any program of assistance referred to in subsection (d) that is administered by such Secretary; and (B) attaining the goal of providing decent, safe, and sanitary housing for the elderly or handicapped.

(2)Such regulations shall establish guidelines under which the owner or manager of any federally assisted rental housing for the elderly or handicapped (A) may prescribe reasonable rules for the keeping of pets by tenants in such housing; and (B) shall consult with the tenants of such housing in prescribing such rules. Such rules may consider factors such as density of tenants, pet size, types of pets, potential financial obligations of tenants, and standards of pet care.

(c)Removal of pets constituting a nuisance

Nothing in this section may be construed to prohibit any owner or manager of federally assisted rental housing for the elderly or handicapped, or any local housing authority or other appropriate authority of the community where such housing is located, from requiring the removal from any such housing of any pet whose conduct or condition is duly determined to constitute a nuisance or a threat to the health or safety of the other occupants of such housing or of other persons in the community where such housing is located.

(d)“Federally assisted rental housing for the elderly or handicapped” defined

For purposes of this section, the term “federally assisted rental housing for the elderly or handicapped” means any rental housing project that—

(1)is assisted under section 1701q of this title; or

(2)is assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937 [42 U.S.C. 1437 et seq.], the National Housing Act [12 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.], or title V of the Housing Act of 1949 [42 U.S.C. 1471 et seq.], and is designated for occupancy by elderly or handicapped families, as such term is defined in section 1701q(d)(4) of this title.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The United States Housing Act of 1937, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is act Sept. 1, 1937, ch. 896, as revised generally by Pub. L. 93–383, title II, Aug. 22, 1974, 88 Stat. 653, which is classified generally to chapter 8 (§ 1437 et seq.) of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

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note set out under section 1437 of Title 42 and Tables. The National Housing Act, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is act

June 27, 1934, ch. 847, 48 Stat. 1246, which is classified principally to this chapter (§ 1701 et seq.). For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1701 of this title and Tables. The Housing Act of 1949, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is act

July 15, 1949, ch. 338, 63 Stat. 413. Title V of the Housing Act of 1949 is classified generally to subchapter III (§ 1471 et seq.) of chapter 8A of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

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note set out under section 1441 of Title 42 and Tables. section 1701q of this title, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), was amended generally by Pub. L. 101–625, title VIII, § 801(a), Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 4297, and, as so amended, no longer contains a subsec. (d)(4) or a definition of the term “elderly or handicapped families”. Codification Section was enacted as part of the Housing and Urban–Rural Recovery Act of 1983 and also as part of the Domestic Housing and International Recovery and Financial Stability Act, and not as part of the National Housing Act which comprises this chapter.

§1701r–1 Pet Ownership in Assisted Rental Housing for the Elderly or Handicapped

Summary

Title 12, §1701r–1

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

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