42 U.S.C. § 3607
Religious organization or private club exemption (THE PUBLIC HEALTH AND WELFARE (42 U.S.C.))
Operative Text
Nothing in this subchapter 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, or national origin. Nor shall anything in this subchapter 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. Nothing in this subchapter limits the applicability of any reasonable local, State, or Federal restrictions regarding the maximum number of occupants permitted to occupy a dwelling. Nor does any provision in this subchapter regarding familial status apply with respect to housing for older persons. As used in this section, “housing for older persons” means housing— provided under any State or Federal program that the Secretary determines is specifically designed and operated to assist elderly persons (as defined in the State or Federal program); or intended for, and solely occupied by, persons 62 years of age or older; or intended and operated for occupancy by persons 55 years of age or older, and— at least 80 percent of the occupied units are occupied by at least one person who is 55 years of age or older; the housing facility or community publishes and adheres to policies and procedures that demonstrate the intent required under this subparagraph; and the housing facility or community complies with rules issued by the Secretary for verification of occupancy, which shall— provide for verification by reliable surveys and affidavits; and include examples of the types of policies and procedures relevant to a determination of compliance with the requirement of clause (ii). Such surveys and affidavits shall be admissible in administrative and judicial proceedings for the purposes of such verification. Housing shall not fail to meet the requirements for housing for older persons by reason of: persons residing in such housing as of , who do not meet the age requirements of subsections (2)(B) or (C): , That new occupants of such housing meet the age requirements of subsections (2)(B) or (C); or Provided unoccupied units: , That such units are reserved for occupancy by persons who meet the age requirements of subsections (2)(B) or (C). Provided 1 Nothing in this subchapter prohibits conduct against a person because such person has been convicted by any court of competent jurisdiction of the illegal manufacture or distribution of a controlled substance as defined in . A person shall not be held personally liable for monetary damages for a violation of this subchapter if such person reasonably relied, in good faith, on the application of the exemption under this subsection relating to housing for older persons. For the purposes of this paragraph, a person may only show good faith reliance on the application of the exemption by showing that— such person has no actual knowledge that the facility or community is not, or will not be, eligible for such exemption; and the facility or community has stated formally, in writing, that the facility or community complies with the requirements for such exemption.
42 U.S.C. § 3607 carves out several exceptions to the federal Fair Housing Act's general anti-discrimination rules. Religious organizations and private clubs may restrict housing they own for non-commercial purposes to their own members or co-religionists, provided the religion itself does not exclude members based on race, color, or national origin. The provision also exempts qualifying senior housing communities from the Act's familial-status protections, and shields individuals from personal monetary liability when they reasonably and in good faith relied on a written statement that a community qualified for the older-persons exemption.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Operators covered by 42 U.S.C. § 3607—such as religious nonprofits, private clubs, or senior housing communities—generally document their non-commercial purpose, membership criteria, and age-verification procedures to support a claimed exemption. Senior housing providers typically obtain written confirmation of their exempt status and maintain records showing compliance with occupancy thresholds and HUD verification rules. Operators who rely on a good-faith written statement of eligibility for the older-persons exemption may avoid personal monetary liability if a violation is later found.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under 42 U.S.C. § 3607, certain housing communities—including those affiliated with religious organizations, private clubs, or qualifying senior communities—may lawfully restrict occupancy in ways that would otherwise violate the Fair Housing Act. If you believe a claimed exemption is being applied improperly or used to mask discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, you can file a complaint with HUD or a state or local fair housing agency. Tenant-rights organizations can help you understand whether a specific exemption legitimately applies to your situation.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated September 4, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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