US Code

Public Law 119-73 (01/23/2026)

12 U.S.C. § 1701r–1

Pet ownership in assisted rental housing for the elderly or handicapped

(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 , 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)
section 1701q of this title is assisted under ; or
(2)
42 U.S.C. 143712 U.S.C. 170142 U.S.C. 14711
1 See References in Text note below.
is assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937 [ et seq.], the National Housing Act [ et seq.], or title V of the Housing Act of 1949 [ 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.

Pub. L. 98–181, title I97 Stat. 1195( [title II, § 227], , .)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

act Sept. 1, 1937, ch. 896Pub. L. 93–383, title II88 Stat. 653section 1437 of Title 42The United States Housing Act of 1937, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is , as revised generally by , , , 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 Short Title note set out under and Tables.

act June 27, 1934, ch. 84748 Stat. 1246section 1701 of this titleThe National Housing Act, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is , , which is classified principally to this chapter (§ 1701 et seq.). For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see and Tables.

act July 15, 1949, ch. 33863 Stat. 413section 1441 of Title 42The Housing Act of 1949, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), is , . 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 Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Section 1701q of this titlePub. L. 101–625, title VIII, § 801(a)104 Stat. 4297, referred to in subsec. (d)(2), was amended generally by , , , 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.