Usage of "being"

[Indradeep]

Cooperative apartment houses have the peculiar distinction of being dwellings that must also operate as businesses.

(A) of being dwellings that must also operate as businesses
(B) of dwellings that must also operate like business
(C) that they are dwellings that must operate like business
(D) that, as dwellings, they must also operate like businesses
(E) to be a dwelling that must also operate as a business

I agree A is correct but I also read that "being" is not allowed in GMAT.
Can someone please clarify this?

A similar doubt:
Is "so as to" correct usage in GMAT?

[jsl]

interesting - I heard that being should be avoided if possible. Where did you get this question from?

[Indradeep]

1000 SC I think Question number 250 ish...

[wonder]

Cooperative apartment houses have the peculiar distinction of being dwellings that must also operate as businesses.

(A) of being dwellings that must also operate as businesses
(B) of dwellings that must also operate like business
(C) that they are dwellings that must operate like business
(D) that, as dwellings, they must also operate like businesses
(E) to be a dwelling that must also operate as a business

I agree A is correct but I also read that "being" is not allowed in GMAT.
Can someone please clarify this?

A similar doubt:
Is "so as to" correct usage in GMAT?

To say that "being" is not allowed in GMAT is a little harsh. "being" should be avoided for sure, but it might not be incorrect.

Lets see why its A.
Firstly, we need to use "as", not "like", because we talk about how these apartments operate. So we are left with A and E.

Secondly, the usage is "distinction of" E incorrectly uses
"apartments have distinction to be a dwelling".

Also in E Houses (plural) must operate as a business (singular) seems to be weird.

"so as" is always incorrect....

[Indradeep]

So we do agree that any sentence having "being" is not always wrong but should be avoided?
Also any sentence having "so as to" is wrong.
What about "so X to be Y"?