Senator Newman Introduces Legislation to Incentivize Development of Pet-Inclusive Low-Income Housing
Sacramento, Calif. — State Senator Josh Newman (D-Fullerton) introduced legislation today to protect California’s low-income pet owners and help create more stable affordable housing communities. SB 971 will incentivize the development of pet-inclusive low-income housing by prioritizing Low Income Housing Tax Credit applications that commit to pet-inclusive rental practices.
Each year, millions of pets are sent to animal shelters because owners face unaffordable housing, moving or landlord issues. According to recent research performed by the Michelson Found Animals Foundation and Human Animal Bond Research Institute, 98% of pet owners consider their pets members of their families, and many make housing choices based on the needs of their pets.
“Too many California families find themselves forced to make a choice between affordable housing and their cherished pets,” said Senator Newman. “My wife Darcy and I consider our four weird rescue Chihuahuas a part of our family, and I can only imagine how heartbreaking it must be to have to give up a family pet in order to secure rental housing. SB 971 will ensure that more California families will be able to bring their canine, feline, or other animal best friends along as part of access to safe, affordable and pet-inclusive housing.”
A surprising three-quarters of renters are pet owners. Despite that fact, pet-inclusive housing in California remains scarce. According to survey research, 72% of Americans report that pet-friendly housing is challenging to find, with 59% saying that even where it may be available, it’s unaffordable. Further, the majority of available pet-friendly housing tends to be highly circumscribed, typically with breed and weight restrictions or exorbitant monthly pet fees, resulting in the effective exclusion of a large portion of pet owners as eligible prospective tenants. Between the combination of the lack of pet-friendly housing overall, and expensive or restrictive provisions within what is available, it is low-income Californians who are most disproportionately impacted.
“For two decades, California has earmarked funding to support its residents and increase access to affordable housing, dedicating resources to strengthening the human-animal bond by keeping pets and their families together,” stated Jessica Simpson, a Senior Public Policy Specialist with The Humane Society of the United States. She added, “Nevertheless, housing that welcomes pets is scarce and out of reach for many families. We applaud Sen. Newman for introducing SB 971, to help ensure that no family must choose between their pet and a roof over their head.”
The Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program is the single largest incentive for developing affordable housing in California. Each year, the Tax Credit Allocation Committee (TCAC) develops a plan that describes the agency’s priorities for tax credit awards and lays out the criteria against which applicants will be scored.
Existing considerations include the distance to public amenities, such as transit or public parks and availability of high-speed internet service. Priorities also include the provision of high-quality services designed to improve the quality of life for tenants, like instructor-led classes or health and wellness programs.
SB 971 would direct the Tax Credit Allocation Committee to develop and incorporate a policy of pet inclusion as an incentive for the award of LIHTC applications, with a higher point value for policies free from breed or weight restrictions, and for those which do not require tenants to pay exorbitant monthly pet fees.
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State Senator Josh Newman represents the 29th Senate District, which is comprised of portions of Los Angeles County, Orange County, and San Bernardino County. The 29th District includes all or parts of the cities of Anaheim, Brea, Buena Park, Chino Hills, City of Industry, Cypress, Diamond Bar, Fullerton, La Habra, La Palma, Placentia, Rowland Heights, Stanton, Walnut, West Covina and Yorba Linda. Senator Newman is a former United States Army officer, businessperson, and veterans’ advocate, and lives in Fullerton with his wife and daughter.