Alexandria Bay, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 73 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 73-7
Exceptions for sales or rentals by religious organizations and private clubs
Operative Text
Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit a religious organization, association or society or any nonprofit institution or organization operated, supervised or controlled by or in conjunction with a religious organization, association or society from limiting the sale, rental or occupancy of dwellings which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose to persons of the same religion or from giving preference to such persons, unless membership in such religion is restricted on account of race, color, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. Nor shall anything in this chapter prohibit a private club, not in fact open to the public, which, as an incident to its primary purpose or purposes, provides lodgings which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose from limiting the rental of occupancy of such lodgings to its members or from giving preference to its members.
Alexandria Bay, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 73 § 73-7 carves out two narrow exemptions from the village's fair housing rules. First, religious organizations and nonprofits they control may give preference to members of their own religion when renting or selling non-commercially held dwellings, provided that membership in the religion is not itself restricted by race, color, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. Second, private clubs that are genuinely closed to the general public may limit or give preference to their own members when renting lodgings they own for non-commercial purposes.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators who believe they qualify under § 73-7 should be able to demonstrate that their organization meets the specific criteria stated in the provision — namely that the housing is owned and operated for other than a commercial purpose, and, for religious organizations, that membership is not restricted on the basis of any protected characteristic. Compliant operators typically maintain clear documentation of their organizational status, the non-commercial nature of the housing, and their membership or preference policies. Because these exemptions are narrowly drawn, property managers associated with religious organizations or private clubs generally review their practices carefully against the full text of ch. 73 § 73-7.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under § 73-7 of Alexandria Bay's Code of Ordinances ch. 73, tenants and applicants should be aware that the fair housing protections in this chapter do not automatically apply to every dwelling — religious organizations and qualifying private clubs may lawfully limit occupancy under defined conditions. However, the religious-organization exemption does not apply if membership in that religion is restricted on the basis of race, color, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, which means a person who believes they were denied housing on one of those grounds may still have recourse. Those who feel they have experienced unlawful discrimination can explore filing a complaint with a local or state fair housing agency, or consult a tenant-rights organization to understand what options may be available.
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 10, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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