Seattle Senior Housing Program 

Federal law allows for all tenants of the Seattle Housing Authority's Seattle Senior Housing Program (SSHP) to own and keep smaller domesticated animals such as a bird, ferret, turtle or fish. Within SSHP, only tenants of Pinehurst Court, Fremont Place, Wildwood Glen or Columbia Place may have a cat as a pet. Dogs shall be permitted only as registered service animals.

Rodents and reptiles are not allowed in SSHP communities. In the case of birds, a maximum of two birds may be permitted. There shall be no limit as to the number of fish, but no more than one aquarium with a maximum capacity of 30 gallons shall be permitted.

Cats must be indoor cats; shall be limited to one per household (though residents with a cat may have other smaller domesticated animals); and require a $100 security deposit.

Assistance Animal Policy 

In accordance with federal law and HUD regulations, residents of federally funded housing for the elderly, persons with disabilities or families shall not be prohibited from owning and keeping assistance animals. Assistance animals are animals that work, provide assistance, or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability OR are animals that provide emotional support that alleviate one or more identified symptoms or effects of a person’s disability. Assistance animals are a type of reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. As such, documentation to demonstrate the connection between the benefit that the animal provides and the need of the person is necessary.