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Minneapolis News
MPR News Staff
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Report: Pet restrictions, fees a barrier to affordable housing in Minneapolis

A close up of a panting dog
Jude, a 2-year-old pit bull mix being held at the city animal shelter, takes a rest while out on a run with a volunteer in Minneapolis in May 2023.
Ben Hovland | MPR News file

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Minneapolis city officials say low-income renters have a harder time finding affordable housing that allows cats and dogs compared to people with higher incomes.

A report presented to a city council committee on Tuesday showed that landlords sometimes charge prohibitive pet fees and deposits.

The report included data on 100 rental listings that allowed pets:

  • 22 percent included mention of dog breed restrictions; 20 percent included mention of dog weight restrictions

  • 52 percent indicated specific pet rent; another 30 percent indicated negotiable pet rent

  • 41 percent listed a non-refundable, one-time pet fee; another 30 percent indicated a negotiable pet fee

In some cases, those fees and deposits were negotiable. And city officials said landlords must allow service animals.

But council member Aurin Chowdhury said her ward office gets a lot of calls from renters who say they’re having a hard time finding affordable places to live with their pets.

Chowdhury said some homeowners have also told her they want to downsize, “but they have, particularly a bully breed, a larger dog. … They want to move into renting because they don’t need that large family home anymore, and it’s been really difficult for them to make that change in life, because they feel like they are locked in to the place that they have.”

City officials said breed or size restrictions have contributed to a recent increase in the number of dogs surrendered to shelters. They said the number of pets surrendered to Minneapolis Animal Care and Control doubled between 2021 and 2025. And they said of the 2,077 animals surrendered to MACC in 2024 and 2025, 13 percent of owners who gave a reason said they did so due to a housing concern.

Tuesday’s presentation included examples from ordinances passed in other cities that cap how much landlords can charge renters for their pets.

The council has been looking at the issue since December. Council members expressed interest in making it easier for low-income renters to find pet-friendly housing.

“I’m a dog mom,” said council member Pearll Warren. ”I love my dog.”

Warren urged pet owners to treat their animals well and encouraged people to train their dogs to minimize the chance for damage to rental properties.

“I know that it’s frustrating for property owners, (and) for individuals who have animals,” she said. “They’ve come into a home and they’ve done damage to the home — but wonderful places like the Humane Society offer things like puppy kindergarten. My dog went, it was wonderful.”