Fort Edward, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 47 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 47-11
Exemptions
Operative Text
A. Sales/rentals by owners. Nothing in § 47-8 (other than § 47-8C ) shall apply to the sales/rental by owners to owner's family members. B. Sales/rentals by religious organizations. Nothing in this article 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 article prohibit a private club not in fact open to the public, which as an incident to its primary purpose provides lodgings which it owns or operates for other than a commercial purpose, from limiting the rental or occupancy of such lodgings to its members or from giving preference to its members.
Fort Edward Code ch. 47 § 47-11 carves out two categories of exemptions from the article's general fair-housing-style requirements. First, when an owner sells or rents to a family member, most of § 47-8's obligations do not apply, though § 47-8C remains in force. Second, religious organizations, affiliated nonprofits, and private clubs that provide housing for non-commercial purposes may lawfully give preference to members of their religion or club, provided that membership in the religion is not itself restricted based on race, color, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners covered by Fort Edward Code ch. 47 § 47-11 who wish to rely on the family-member exemption should be aware that § 47-8C still applies to those transactions, so compliant operators typically ensure that provision's requirements are met even in family sales or rentals. Religious organizations and affiliated nonprofits that own or operate non-commercial housing generally document that their membership criteria do not exclude people on the basis of race, color, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin in order to maintain eligibility for the § 47-11 exemption. Private clubs relying on the lodging preference provision under § 47-11 typically confirm that the housing is operated for non-commercial purposes and that preference is limited to actual club members.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under Fort Edward Code ch. 47 § 47-11, tenants should understand that these exemptions are narrow and conditional — for instance, the religious-organization exemption disappears entirely if the religion's membership criteria discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. Tenants who believe an exemption is being claimed improperly — for example, that a landlord is misusing the family-member carve-out or that a religious organization's membership is unlawfully restricted — may consider raising that issue as a defense or complaint under the broader article. Tenant-rights organizations and local housing agencies can help individuals understand whether a claimed § 47-11 exemption is being applied within its lawful limits.
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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