Colorado lawmaker files bill to prohibit HOA bans on dog breeds

A Colorado lawmaker has filed a bill that would prevent homeowners’ associations from banning certain breeds of dogs.

Rep. Paul Rosenthal filed House Bill 18-1126 last week , which would prohibit the residential communities from discriminating against breeds, though it wouldn’t overrule any municipal laws like Denver’s ban on Pit Bulls.

Rosenthal said in a statement that he took on the issue after one of his constituents reported being turned away by over a dozen HOAs because of her German Shepherds. He said an increase in housing prices has limited availability, and he hopes this bill will alleviate pet owners who find themselves running out of options.

“The state has an interest in this issue because HOAs are discriminating against people for insufficient reason. HOAs should focus on bad and aggressive behavior, not size or breed of dog,” Rosenthal said.

The American Apartment Owners Association identifies several breeds as dangerous dogs — including Pit Bulls, German Shepherds and Dobermans — and says residential communities have historically had multiple reasons for banning specific breeds, including liability and insurance costs.

Rosenthall currently has one other sponsor for the bill in the House of Representatives but didn’t have a Senate sponsor as of Tuesday.

The bill has been assigned to the Local Government Committee but has not been scheduled for a hearing yet.