H 4835

HOUSE . . . . . . . . No. 4835
   The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  ________________________________________
  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, December 22, 2025.
    The committee on Housing, to whom was referred the petition
(accompanied by bill, House, No. 1476) of Tackey Chan and others for
legislation relative to pet ownership for residents of state-aided public
housing for the elderly, reports recommending that the accompanying bill
(House, No. 4835) ought to pass.
  For the committee,
  RICHARD M. HAGGERTY.
  FILED ON: 12/3/2025
 HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 4835
  The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  _______________
  In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
  (2025-2026)
  _______________
An Act to codify pet-friendly elderly housing policies and ensure pet parity across housing
authorities.
  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1SECTION 1. Chapter 23B of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official
2 Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 5B the following new section:-
3Section 5C. The executive office of housing and livable communities is hereby
4 authorized, empowered and directed to continue to conduct and maintain a program of pet
5 ownership for residents of state-aided public housing for the elderly, and to institute and
6 maintain a program of pet ownership for residents of state-aided public housing for residents
7 who are able to reasonably care for the pet, in accordance with all applicable public health,
8 animal control, and animal-cruelty laws and regulations and the reasonable requirements of the
9 state-aided public housing facility.
10For the purposes of this section a pet shall mean any domesticated animal that is
11 commonly kept in a household.
  1 of 4
12Reasonable requirements may include, but are not limited to requiring a pet deposit, that
13 shall be no greater than the lesser of one hundred-sixty dollars or one month’s rent; limitations
14 on the number of pets in a unit, based on unit size; restrictions or prohibitions based on size and
15 type of building, project, or unit; requiring pet owners to have their pets spayed or neutered;
16 having an adequate care plan for the pet, including veterinarian care, and emergency contacts
17 that can care for the pet in the event the tenant experiences a medical emergency; registering the
18 pet with the state-aided public housing facility; and anything else set forth by the executive
19 office of housing and livable communities.
20A state-aided public housing facility shall not have an outright prohibition on the keeping
21 of dogs nor discriminate solely based on the dog’s breed, size, weight or appearance; require pet
22 declawing. or evict a tenant based solely on the presence of a pet, where such tenant has
23 otherwise adhered to the requirements and policies set forth by the state-aided public housing
24 facility.
25Nothing in this section shall require that a state-aided housing facility allow for the
26 ownership of a dog who has been declared dangerous by a municipality under section 157 of
27 Chapter 140.
28The department shall update regulations relating to pet ownership in state-aided housing.
29 These regulations shall include, but shall not be limited to:
30(i) a standard process for a resident to apply for and register an animal in the pet program,
31 which shall include a standard process for individual review of such registrations, and a process
32 for denial and appeal of any such denial.
  2 of 4
33(ii) the development of pet policies suitable for various types of housing catering to
34 various residents, such as an apartment complex, single-family and multi-family home, and
35 congregate living;
36(iii) the provision of emergency veterinary and temporary care contacts for the pet;
37(iv) minimum health, safety, and sanitation standards relating to flea and tick control, pet
38 waste removal, and noxious odor management;
39(v) the procedure for enforcement and due process, including the establishment of a pet
40 committee and pet grievance panel; and
41(vi) anything else the executive office of housing and livable communities deems
42 necessary for the implementation of pet policies.
43Any housing authority that violates this section shall be subject to the penalty established
44 in Section 5C of Chapter 23B.
45SECTION 2. There shall be an advisory group that consists of the following members:
46 the secretary of the executive office of housing and livable communities or a designee; a
47 representative of a local housing authority; two representative of a local tenant organization in
48 state-aided public housing; a representative of the Massachusetts commission against
49 discrimination; a representative of a tenants’ rights organization; an animal control officer; a
50 representative of the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and a
51 representative of the Animal Rescue League of Boston. The members of the advisory group shall
52 appoint a chair.
53The advisory group shall assist with:
  3 of 4
54(i) updating regulations relating to pet ownership;
55(ii) the development of pet policies suitable for various types of housing catering to
56 various residents, including an apartment complex, single-family and multi-family home, and
57 congregate living;
58(iii) the creation of guidance for the establishment and operation of a pet committee and a
59 pet grievance panel at housing authorities;
60(iv) the determination of any data that should be collected by the executive office of
61 housing and livable communities from housing authorities and participating residents;
62(iv) the aggregation of existing pet adoption, ownership, and care resources for housing
63 authorities and participating residents; and
64(v) the proposal of any legislative recommendations related to pets in state-aided public
65 housing, to be submitted to the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives and the
66 chairs of the joint committee on housing.
  4 of 4