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 person unless membership in such religion is restricted on account of race, sex, color, national origin, handicap, or familial status. Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit a private club not 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.
(Prior Code, § 1-181)