24 C.F.R. § 960.701
§ 960.701 Purpose. (24 CFR Part 960)
Operative Text
The purpose of this subpart is, in accordance with section 31 of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437z-3), to permit pet ownership by residents of public housing, subject to compliance with reasonable requirements established by the public housing agency (PHA) for pet ownership.
Section 960.701 establishes the overarching goal of the pet-ownership subpart: federal policy allows public housing residents to keep pets, provided they follow reasonable rules set by their local public housing agency (PHA). The provision roots this permission in section 31 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, signaling that the right is statutory rather than discretionary.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 960.701, PHAs are expected to facilitate pet ownership rather than categorically prohibit it, while retaining authority to craft and enforce reasonable pet-ownership requirements. Compliant housing operators typically document those requirements in a written pet policy that is made available to residents and applied consistently across the property.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 960.701 confirms that public housing residents have a federally grounded right to own pets, subject to their PHA's reasonable rules. Tenants who believe a PHA's pet policy goes beyond what is "reasonable" may raise that concern with their local housing authority, consult a tenant-rights organization, or explore whether the policy can be challenged through the PHA's grievance process.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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