North Hollywood Landlord Insists Her Tenants Have Pets -- Or Move
NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CBSLA.com) — Drive up and down Laurel or Coldwater Canyon and you'll see a lot of upscale apartment buildings with places for rent -- and in a good majority of these places the signs out front are very large and very clear.
• No Pets. • Only small pets. • No Dogs! • Cats Only!!
Judy Guth owns a 12-unit building in North Hollywood, 5053 Cartwright Avenue to be exact.
Not only is Guth pet-friendly, she doesn't want a tenant who doesn't have a pet.
And she means business. All pets welcome -- cats, dogs, birds.
Residents of the building told CBS2's Greg Mills that if your pet dies, Guth will personally take you to a shelter to get a new furry friend.
"It's either that or move," Guth told the LA Daily News.
Mills also checked with the LA City Attorney's office. Can Guth really discriminate against people who don't have pets?
The City Attorney's office told Mills, they didn't have a problem with the policy. And the policy has been in place ever since Guth bought the building 40 years ago.
The sign in front of her apartment says, "A Nice Place To Live ... With Pets."
She believes pet lovers make the best tenants and neighbors, because they have love to give.
One-bedroom apartments go for $1,200 a month, a two-bedroom costs $1,500. She doesn't ask for a pet deposit -- Guth does put in new carpet and the tenant pays for it. When they leave, they get to take the carpet with them.
"I've just always loved dogs," says tenant Mary Ricketts.
Mills spoke to resident Tsunami Turner.
"I love it here," said Turner, "Everybody here has dogs, loves dogs. Everybody is really friendly, it's great."
Residents also told Mills the residence was quieter, and cleaner, than one would expect.
Guth, 84, told Mills she is ready to sell her building -- but only to someone who promised to keep it pet friendly.
