News & Events

Many multifamily operators who have lifted breed restrictions initially assumed that their insurance coverage would present an obstacle — only to find out that no such obstacles existed. 

A seemingly innocuous question – ‘is your property pet-friendly?’ – becomes quite provocative viewed through the lens of a pet owner who is challenged to secure housing that accepts their large dog, welcomes their ‘restricted’ breed, or embraces pets without additional fees. The Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative (PIHI) has developed a scorecard to help operators have more insight when answering this question; but more on that in just a bit.

Best Friends and Michelson Found Animals aim to empower renters to educate owner/operators about why allowing all good dogs, regardless of their size or breed, is good for the owner/operators, the renters, and animal shelters. 

As the housing landscape continues to evolve, so do attitudes toward pets and their place in our lives. Today, not only do more people have pets than ever before, they generally consider their furry friends to be integral members of the family; and as a result, the demand for pet-inclusive rental accommodations is on the rise.

There’s probably not a single rental housing operator who hasn’t felt like they’re constantly in the midst of one battle or another in the day-to-day operation of an apartment community. And lately, one of those recurring struggles is the onslaught of emotional support animal (ESA) accommodation requests from residents.

Welcoming more of these cherished family members will involve reevaluating current restrictive pet policies, which typically limit size and contain multiple breed restrictions. Easing or lifting these restrictions can be beneficial for apartment operators in several ways.