Verona, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 37 (eCode360 ed. 2026) § 37-7
Exceptions
Operative Text
A. Sales/rentals by owners. (1) Nothing in § 37-4 (other than Subsection C ) shall apply to: (a) Any single-family house sold or rented by an owner, provided that such private individual owner does not own more than three such single-family houses at any one time; and provided, further, that 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 shall apply only with respect to one such sale within any twenty-four-month period and provided further, that 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 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 any 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 § 37-4 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. (b) 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. (2) For the purpose of this exception, 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; or (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 of 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. 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 lodging to its members or from giving preference to its members.
Section 37-7 of Verona, N.Y., Code of Ordinances ch. 37 carves out specific situations where the fair-housing requirements of § 37-4 do not apply. Small-scale private owners of single-family homes and owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units may be exempt from certain provisions, subject to conditions such as limits on how many properties the owner holds and whether a broker or public advertisement is used. Religious organizations and private clubs that provide housing for non-commercial purposes may also restrict or give preference in occupancy to their own members, as long as membership itself is not restricted based on protected characteristics like race, color, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Under § 37-7, property owners who believe they qualify for one of these exceptions—such as owning no more than three single-family homes or living in an owner-occupied building with four or fewer units—generally ensure they meet every condition the exception requires, including avoiding the use of real estate brokers or agents and refraining from publishing discriminatory advertisements. Owners who rely on the private-sale exception while not residing in the home should be aware that it applies to only one such sale within any twenty-four-month period. Religious organizations and qualifying private clubs that operate housing for non-commercial purposes typically document that any membership or occupancy preferences do not rest on race, color, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Section 37-7 defines the boundaries of who is exempt from the anti-discrimination protections in § 37-4, which means tenants can assess whether a landlord actually qualifies for an exception before concluding that § 37-4 does not protect them. For example, if a landlord uses a real estate broker or posts a public advertisement, the single-family-home exception may not apply, and the full protections of the chapter could remain in force. Tenants who believe a landlord is improperly claiming an exception under § 37-7 may consider contacting a local tenant-rights organization or a fair-housing agency to understand available complaint and enforcement options.
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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