Ask about . . . Pets
Some people are allergic to animals, and some are afraid of different animals. Others have long-time pets that they do not want to part with when moving into someplace else to live. Pets are known to provide a variety of health benefits for older people, and family members may wish to provide an elder parent with a pet. People with different kinds of disabilities may require the use of a trained "service" animal. Some housing developments or care facilities will keep a dog or cat that belongs to the development, has the run of the building, and is available for all residents to interact with.
A potential tenant should ask for a written copy of a development's pet policy before signing a lease or agreement to live in the development. This can be an important "quality of life" feature—both for tenants who wish to keep a pet and for those who do not have a pet but who have concerns about other residents who do keep them.
Federally subsidized senior housing:
Federal law says that residents of federally subsidized senior housing developments are allowed to keep personal pets.
The manager of a federally subsidized development is responsible for developing a "pet policy" for the development. The policy will spell out the development's rules about keeping pets.
For example, the rules might state that a pet cannot be over a certain size or weight. A development's policy might prohibit certain types of pets, or they might limit the number of pets allowed by each household.
The rules might list the pet owner's responsibilities in caring for the pet—for example, whether the pet must be kept on a lease, whether the pet is allowed in the common areas of the development, and the outdoor areas where the pet can be walked. Rules might stipulate what happens if the pet threatens or hurts other residents or is a nuisance, what happens if the pet causes damage to the resident's apartment or other areas of the development, and what arrangements must be made if the resident is temporarily unable to care for the pet.
Often, developments will charge a security fee for keeping a pet. The pet fee is often equivalent to one month's rent and is in addition to the traditional security deposit required of every new resident. When the resident vacates the apartment, the pet fee is typically refunded, minus any amount required to repair any damage caused by the pet.
New York State subsidized senior housing and privately financed senior housing:
There are no laws that address pet ownership in State-subsidized or privately financed senior housing. Decisions to allow or not allow personal pets are made by the housing development's owners.
If residents are allowed to keep personal pets, policies such as those outlined above are often developed, and a refundable pet fee may be charged. Some developments will allow a newly entering resident to keep an existing pet but will prohibit residents from replacing that pet with another one.
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