New York City — It’s not only one of the greatest cities in the modern world, but also one of the places where people literally line up to pay an insane amount of money for the opportunity to live there. That means that the real estate market is definitely a landlord’s market, and some of them are taking their rules to a whole new level. Take, for example, two beautiful townhouse apartments in Fort Greene, which were recently advertised for $4,500 and $5,700 a month. There’s just one tiny rule: the landlord, who lives in the same building, is a vegan and has banned the cooking of meat and fish in the building. That doesn’t mean he will only rent to vegans — it simply means that the new tenants are not be permitted to cook meat or fish on the premises. If they would like to order sushi or a burger and have it delivered to their apartment, no problem. However, arranging for a barbecue on the weekend or frying up some meatballs in your kitchen is a violation of the terms of the lease. While you might be wondering if the vegan rule is a form of discrimination, it's not. According to New York State law, there are 14 categories in which any kind of discrimination against tenants is prohibited, and the division of people according to the category of food they eat isn’t one of them. Moreover, the landlord in this situation deliberately warns prospective tenants about possible restrictions BEFORE they sign a lease. So, if you’re a vegan or someone who prefers having their food delivered, you’re looking for an apartment, and you have very deep pockets, this might be the place for you.
