11/30/16 Van Allen Apartments Featured on Channel 10

RENSSELAER, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Talk to any pet owners of large breed dogs and they will tell you that when it comes to apartment searching, not all potential furry tenants are welcome.

However, there’s a unique development going up that’s opening its doors to all shapes and sizes.

Van Allen Apartments in Rensselaer are built with all the creature comforts in mind and when they say creatures, they mostly mean canines.

It’s a first-of-its-kind development for the Capital Region, with plenty of amenities tailor-made for pets and their owners.

Van Allen really breaks away from the pack with one major policy from which typical landlords hardly ever stray; All breeds are welcome here and up to three pets total are allowed.

“You know, we think this is an untapped market,” said Jesse Holland from Sunrise Management and Consulting. “We obviously get many calls from our other apartments, people looking for multiple animals or with large pets and we have been turning them down and said is this a line of business that we should be looking into.”

Once completed, Van Allen will offer well-appointed apartments, a clubhouse (where pets will be welcome), walking trails, and even a grooming station to clean up your pooch after a hike.

An additional precaution will be put in place to make sure owners pick up what their pets leave behind.

“We will also be DNA testing the dogs, so if anyone leaves their “presence” around the property we will know who it is,” said Holland.

Todd Cramer with the Mohawk Hudson Humane Society assisted the Van Allen project by researching other pet policies around the country.

“We know that one of the major reasons why people surrender their pets is for lack of housing and landlord issues,” said Cramer.

Cramer’s team found that landlords who open their doors to tenants with large breeds tend to have fewer problems than those who don’t.

“You are probably going to get twice as many applicants,” said Cramer. Your length is going to be double.”

Amanda Eggink says Van Allen was her 40^th call. She explained 39 other landlords would not allow her pit bull, Prince. She has been commuting an hour and a half to and from her new teaching job in Albany.

“I’m living with my parents, which… I love my parents but I’m ready to leave the nest,” said Eggink.

After signing a lease, Amanda and Prince will be moving into Van Allen.

“I’m beyond excited. And I feel kind of honored to be part of the first apartments here that are allowing dogs without breed restrictions,” said Eggink. So I hope that it starts a trend.”