Report: Pet Policy Information Gaps Cost CA Renters and Housing Providers Time and Money
Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative report finds clearer pet policy information can benefit renters, housing providers and the rental market
LOS ANGELES (September 9, 2026) — California renters and rental housing providers are losing time and money due to gaps in how pet policies are communicated during the housing search, according to a new report from Michelson Found Animals’ Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative (PIHI).
The Search for Pet-Inclusive Housing: How Information Gaps Shape the Housing Search Experience for Renters with Pets examines how renters find, interpret and act on pet policy information during the housing search. Drawing on a survey of more than 1,100 California renters, an analysis of rental listings across three major platforms in five California housing markets, and interviews with Los Angeles County renters, the report finds that critical information is often unavailable until late in the rental process.
This gap frequently leaves renters unable to determine whether a property will work for them and their pets until after investing significant time or money, and housing providers expending resources to field inquiries and review applications from prospective tenants who are not a fit for their property.
Key Findings:
The report found that even when listings indicated pets were allowed, important details were often missing. Breed, size, and weight restrictions were among the least likely pet policy terms to appear, while information about pet rent and deposits was inconsistently reported. Information also varied across rental platforms: in the Los Angeles sample, only about one-quarter of properties had consistent pet policy information across the platforms analyzed.
“Clear pet policies are good for renters, good for housing providers and good for business. When people know the rules upfront, they can focus on homes that are actually a fit, and providers spend less time fielding inquiries and processing applications that were never going to work,” said Ross Barker, Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative Director. “But there’s also a human cost to getting this wrong. Pets are family, and housing barriers can force people into impossible choices about where they live and whether they can keep their family together. Better information is a simple way to reduce that friction while creating a more efficient housing market for everyone.”
Together, the findings point to a straightforward opportunity: making existing pet policies clear and accessible earlier in the search can help renters focus on viable homes while helping housing providers attract better-matched applicants and reduce unnecessary inquiries and applications.
The research comes as California policymakers consider pet policy transparency in the rental market. SB 1296, the Pet Policy Transparency Act, recently cleared the California Legislature and is awaiting action by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The legislation would require housing providers to disclose their existing pet policies before charging a prospective tenant an application fee. It would not require housing providers to allow pets or dictate the terms of their pet policies.
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Michelson Found Animals (MFA) is an operating division of Michelson Philanthropies, a Los Angeles-based 501(c)(3) foundation. MFA provides animal welfare services and champions pets at every point they intersect with our society. Founded in 2005, MFA operates a range of initiatives, including grants and programs that put resources in the hands of communities in need, research that promotes pet-friendly housing policies, and efforts to expand access to spay and neuter services. Learn more at foundanimals.org.
The Michelson Found Animals Foundation is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network.
© 2026 Michelson Found Animals Foundation, Inc.
