(a) For the purposes of this section, “pet” means a domesticated dog, cat or bird or an aquarium.

(b) No housing project operated pursuant to parts VI or VIII of this chapter may prohibit the keeping of one pet by any resident in any such housing projects if the residents of any such project, by majority vote, determine that pets shall be allowed in such project. Each dwelling unit shall be allowed one ballot in any such vote. Each such vote shall be by secret ballot and administered by the local housing authority or eligible developer operating such project. A vote may be initiated at the request of any tenant, but no vote shall be taken sooner than three years after any previous vote unless a petition signed by a majority of the tenants of such project requesting such a vote is filed with the local housing authority or eligible developer operating such project. No person who owns any pet in any such project shall be required to dispose of any such pet because of a subsequent vote to prohibit pets. No applicant for admission to such housing project shall be required to dispose of any such pet in order to occupy such housing project because of a subsequent vote to prohibit pets if pets were allowed on the date the person applied for admission to the project.

(c) Nothing in this section shall prevent a local housing authority or eligible developer from requiring the removal from any housing project of any pet whose conduct or condition is duly determined to constitute a threat or nuisance to the other occupants of such housing project. No pet shall be kept in violation of humane or health laws. Nothing in this section shall: (1) Prevent any housing authority or eligible developer from adopting reasonable regulations relating to the keeping of such pets, which may include a requirement limiting the size of such pets and a requirement for the neutering of such pets; (2) prevent the adoption of differing terms for the tenancy which are reasonably related to the presence of such pet; (3) relieve any tenant from any liability otherwise imposed by law for damages caused by any such pet; or (4) prevent any housing authority or eligible developer from requiring a tenant to provide notice to the authority or developer if the tenant keeps any such pet.

(P.A. 87-272; P.A. 99-50.)

History: P.A. 99-50 amended Subsec. (b) to prohibit a requirement that an applicant dispose of a pet in order to occupy a housing project if pets were allowed on the date the applicant applied for admission to the project.