California Bill Could Ban Landlords From Asking Prospective Tenants About Pets

Amid the state housing crisis, renters shouldn’t have additional barriers to finding housing, the bill’s author said.

A man walks his dog past a “for sale” sign outside a single-family home in Los Angeles on Sept. 22, 2022. Allison Dinner/Getty Images

California landlords could be barred from asking prospective tenants about pets under a new bill that looks to expand rental options for pet owners.

Assemblyman Matt Haney introduced AB 2216 earlier this month, saying it would prohibit “blanket pet bans” in rental units in the state. Under the proposed law, landlords couldn’t ask about pets until after an application is approved, and they must provide “reasonable” explanations for prohibiting pets in their units, according to a Feb. 20 press release by the San Francisco Democrat.