Washington homeowners remove racist covenant clauses that stop Black people from living in communities unless they are servants
Over 30 homeowners in Olympia, Washington have removed racially restrictive and unlawful clauses from covenants included in property paperwork once residents noticed a stipulation that bars non-white people from living in the neighborhood unless they are servants. The original covenant for one woman’s home, which hasn’t been changed since 1951, says who the neighborhood was intended for.
“No race or nationality other than the Caucasian race shall use or occupy any building on this lot, except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race or nationality, employed by an owner or tenant,” the paperwork said.
Restrictive covenants are defined “a provision that restricts the action of a party to an agreement, as any covenant (unenforceable by law) seeking to prevent the sale of real estate to a member of a specified minority group,” were used to segregate communities without zoning ordinances and to avoid blame being placed on local municipal leaders. They first became popular in 1917 when the U.S. Supreme Court deemed city segregation ordinances illegal.”
“When I got to Washington state, I was surprised at how white it was, and now I understand why,” Thurston County auditor Mary Hall told King5. “So I think it’s time to right the wrong.” Hall found six neighborhoods across Thurston County, including Beachcrest, Stratford Annex 1&2, Lake Sant Clair, Scotts, and Stratford Park, that had racist language preventing non-whites from living in the developments.
The language in the document is illegal and unenforceable, however, Hall explained how it’s been passed down throughout the decades every time someone sells a house.
“When you close on a house you always get a stack of paper and I’m sure most people don’t go through and read all their covenants but it might be interesting to take a look and see if those unlawful, restrictive covenants are there,” she said. Some residents including Michelle Fearing, started to notice the language, Thurston County sent out letters to homeowners making them aware of the language, and provided directions on how to remove it.
“It was shocking,” Fearing said. “I’m reading it going, ‘Whoa. Wow. That’s crazy.’” She got the language removed within an hour.
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