A Dix Hills, L.I., developer was fined $10,000 by New York state Monday for ordering a woman to remove the mezuzah on the front door of her home.
Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said the Stone Ridge Estates homeowners association, which oversees the 76-unit complex, has agreed to draft and institute new policies that permit residents to display religious objects on their property. Werner was fined $50 last April after refusing the association’s order to remove the mezuzah or conceal it behind a screen door that would cost $300 to $500. The fine was later rescinded. “We’re very pleased with the outcome,” Werner said. “The whole development was behind me. It’s a moral victory.”
Cuomo said in a statement: “This country guarantees every individual the right to express his or her religious beliefs. And New York state, with our fair housing laws, guarantees that no resident will be discriminated against based on that expression. ... By reforming their bylaws and practices, they will ensure that no resident will be the victim of this kind of discrimination.”
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