Richmond, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 116 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 116-6
Exemptions
Operative Text
A. Sales/rentals by owners. Nothing in § 116-3 (other than § 116-3C) shall apply to: (1) Any single-family house sold or rented by an owner, provided that: (a) Such private individual owner does not own more than three such single-family houses at any one time; (b) In the case of the sale of any such single-family house by a private individual owner not residing in such house at the time of such sale, or who was not the recent resident of such house prior to such sale, the exception granted by this Subsection A shall apply only with respect to one such sale within any twenty-four-month period; (c) Such bona fide private individual owner does not own any interest in, nor is there owned or reserved on his behalf under any express or voluntary agreement, title to any right to all or a portion of the proceeds from the sale or rental of more than three such single-family houses at one time; and (d) The sale or rental of any such single-family house shall be excepted from the application of this chapter only if such house is sold or rented without the use in any manner of the sales or rental facilities or the sales or rental services of any real estate broker, agent or salesman, or of such facilities or services of any person in the business of selling or renting dwellings, or of any employee or agent of any such broker, agent, salesman or person, and without the publication, posting or mailing, after notice, of any advertisement or written notice in violation of § 116-3 of this chapter, but nothing in this proviso shall prohibit the use of attorneys, escrow agents, abstractors, title companies and other such professional assistance as may be necessary to perfect or transfer the title. (2) Rooms or units in dwellings containing living quarters occupied or intended to be occupied by no more than four families living independently of each other, if the owner actually maintains and occupies one of such living quarters as his residence. For the purpose of this exemption, a person shall be deemed to be in the business of selling or renting dwellings if: (a) He has, within the preceding 12 months, participated as principal in three or more transactions involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest therein; (b) He has, within the preceding 12 months, participated as agent, other than in the sale of his own personal residence, in providing sales or rental facilities or sales or rental services in two or more transactions involving the sale or rental of any dwelling or any interest therein; or (c) He is the owner of any dwelling designed or intended for occupancy by, or occupied by, five or more families. B. Sales/rentals by religious organizations and private clubs. 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, national origin, handicap or familial status, 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 or occupancy of such lodgings to its members or from giving preference to its members.
Richmond, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 116 § 116-6 carves out specific categories of housing transactions from the fair-housing obligations set out in § 116-3. These exemptions cover certain small-scale private sales or rentals of single-family homes, owner-occupied buildings with no more than four units, and housing owned or operated by religious organizations or private clubs for non-commercial purposes. Each exemption comes with its own conditions—such as limits on how many properties an owner holds, whether a broker is used, and whether the owner actually lives on the premises—so the exemption does not apply automatically in every situation.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 116-6, property owners who believe their transaction may qualify for an exemption should carefully review each condition attached to that exemption before relying on it. For example, a private individual owner claiming the single-family exemption generally avoids using real estate brokers or agents and stays within the ownership limits described in § 116-6A. Operators of small owner-occupied buildings, religious organizations, and private clubs each face their own distinct set of qualifying criteria, and failing to meet any one condition can mean the full anti-discrimination requirements of the chapter still apply.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 116-6 defines the narrow circumstances under which a landlord or seller may be exempt from Richmond's fair-housing rules, and tenants who believe an exemption has been improperly claimed have avenues to explore. If a housing provider invokes § 116-6 but does not appear to meet its specific conditions—such as the broker-use restriction or the owner-occupancy requirement—that claimed exemption may not hold up. Tenants in this situation can document the circumstances, consult a tenant-rights organization familiar with local fair-housing law, or inquire with the appropriate local or state civil rights enforcement body about filing a complaint.
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.
Effective Timeline
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