NEW YORK — The true property itemizing that appeared briefly in Brooklyn final week sounded beguiling: two spacious, sun-drenched, full-floor residences in a large brick city house in Fort Greene with spectacular out of doors areas and interval particulars.
The “great vegan landlord,” the dealer wrote, had just one home rule: “no meat/fish within the constructing.”
Even in a metropolis the place renters pays mansionesque costs to reside in an house with a tub within the kitchen or a studio so slim you possibly can contact each partitions without delay, the meatless walk-up is uncommon.
However at a by-appointment-only open home Sunday, the regular stream of potential tenants — solely a few of whom mentioned they have been vegetarians — indicated that the rule was not an computerized deal-breaker. (Nor, apparently, was the value: The residences, each one-bedrooms, are renting for $4,500 and $5,750.)
Truly, the dealer, Andrea Kelly, defined to 1 prospect, meat-eaters weren’t banned; cooking meat and fish was. “It’s not vegetarian-only, however the proprietor lives within the constructing and doesn’t need the odor of cooking meat drifting upstairs,” she mentioned.
So, sushi, steak tartare and takeout: sure. Roasting a rooster: completely not.
The proprietor, Michal Arieh Lerer, refused to talk to a reporter, and Kelly and her employers at Douglas Elliman declined to remark. However Lerer’s ex-husband, who co-owns the constructing and can also be vegan, mentioned that they had refused to hire to carnivores who prepare dinner since shopping for the home in 2007.
“It’s not about discrimination,” mentioned the ex-husband, Motti Lerer. “You need to match into the constructing.”
All of which raises the query: Is that this authorized?
It appears to be. Town’s Human Rights Legislation lists 14 traits that landlords are usually not allowed to contemplate in deciding whether or not to hire an house to somebody, together with age, race, household standing, job, supply of revenue and sexual orientation. Fondness for hamburgers will not be one among them.
It’s this “allowed-unless-specifically-forbidden” building of anti-discrimination regulation that makes it completely authorized for landlords to refuse to hire to people who smoke — they don’t seem to be a protected class both.
Lucas Ferrara, an adjunct professor at New York Legislation Faculty and co-author of the multivolume e book “Landlord and Tenant Apply in New York,” mentioned a possible tenant would possibly be capable of combat the meat ban if, for instance, they confirmed that they had a medical situation that required some form of “cheap lodging” on the owner’s half.
“Absent an exception of that sort,” Ferrara wrote, “the restriction would in any other case be permissible.”
The itemizing that talked about the rule, on nextdoor.com, was taken down Friday, the day after it was posted, however Douglas Elliman nonetheless lists the residences by itself web site, although with out point out of the meat coverage. The listings do notice, “Cats welcome on a case-by-case foundation (just one, please).”
One curious couple who didn’t know in regards to the meat rule balked after they heard about it.
“Oh, we don’t fulfill these necessities,” mentioned the girl, Tessa Ruben.
Then, she and her accomplice, Darian Ghassemi, thought a little bit extra.
“We order in lots anyway,” mentioned Ruben, 29, who works for a nonprofit.
“The terrace seems to be cool,” mentioned Ghassemi, 31, who works in gross sales.
They weren’t capable of get into the constructing as a result of they didn’t have an appointment to view the residences. After a little bit extra dialogue, they determined this was most likely for the perfect.
“What makes me extra nervous than the rule itself,” Ruben mentioned, “is realizing there’s somebody upstairs ensuring you comply with it.”
