42 U.S.C. § 1437z–3 — Pet ownership in public housing

(a) A resident of a public-housing unit may own or keep one or more common household pets, subject to the agency’s reasonable requirements, if the resident responsibly cares for each pet and follows applicable State and local public-health, animal-control, and anti-cruelty laws and regulations and the agency plan. (b) Reasonable requirements may include: (1) a nominal fee, a pet deposit, or both—one to cover reasonable project operating costs from pets and one to create an escrow account for additional costs not otherwise covered; (2) limits on the number of animals based on unit size; (3) bans on dangerous types of animals and on particular animals based on factors such as size and weight; and (4) restrictions or bans based on the building or project’s size or type or other relevant conditions. (c) For this section, “public housing” has the meaning in section 1437a(b), except it excludes federally assisted rental housing for elderly or handicapped people as defined in 12 U.S.C. § 1701r–1(d). This section does not define those quoted terms. (d) This section takes effect when the Secretary’s implementing regulations take effect. The Secretary must issue them after notice and an opportunity for public comment under 5 U.S.C. § 553’s procedure for substantive rules, despite subsections (a)(2), (b)(B), and (d)(3) of that section.