Zion — Ch. 46 Human Relations § 46-55
Exemptions
Operative Text
Nothing in this article shall apply to the following: (1) A unit in a building with four or less apartments if the owner actually maintains and occupies one of the other units in the building as his residence. (2) A religious organization which owns or operates a facility not for a commercial purpose and which limits the sale or rental to persons of the same religion. (3) A private club which provides lodgings it owns or operates not for a commercial purpose and which gives preference or limits the rental to its members.
Zion Ch. 46 § 46-55 carves out three categories of housing situations from the broader human-relations article's coverage. Small owner-occupied buildings of four or fewer units, non-commercial religious organization facilities that restrict occupancy to co-religionists, and non-commercial private clubs that limit lodging to their own members are each excluded from the article's requirements. These exemptions are narrow and depend on specific factual conditions being met, such as the owner actually living on the premises or the facility genuinely operating outside a commercial purpose.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under Zion Ch. 46 § 46-55, operators who believe they qualify for one of the three listed exemptions — such as an owner-occupant of a small four-or-fewer-unit building — generally document that the qualifying conditions are continuously and genuinely met, including actual residency in the building. Religious organizations and private clubs that rely on the non-commercial exemptions typically maintain records demonstrating the non-commercial nature of their operations and the basis for any membership or religious restrictions. Because the exemptions are condition-dependent, compliant operators keep their qualifying circumstances current and well-documented.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Zion Ch. 46 § 46-55 lists specific, limited situations where the human-relations article's protections do not apply, so tenants who believe they have been improperly denied housing may want to examine whether the landlord or organization actually meets every stated condition for an exemption. For example, an owner-occupancy exemption requires the owner to genuinely reside in the building, and a club or religious exemption requires the facility to operate without a commercial purpose — facts that can be investigated. Tenants who believe an exemption is being claimed improperly can explore options such as contacting a local tenant-rights organization or a fair housing agency for guidance on how to raise the issue.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated November 9, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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