California Counties Remove Racist Clauses From Property Records
Orange County completed its review, while Los Angeles County expects its effort to take about a decade.
Old California property records can still contain clauses barring ownership, rental, or occupancy by people of certain races. A 2021 state law requires counties to remove that language, but the work is moving at different speeds across the state.
Orange County finished reviewing more than 27,000 documents in March with computer software, though officials say some records may have been missed and ask residents to report them. Los Angeles County has hired an outside firm to review 50 million pages each year; officials estimate the effort will last roughly 10 years.
Property owners use a Restrictive Covenant Modification Form to strike the discriminatory wording from a record. County procedures vary. A filing may involve a fee or notarized signature in one place but not another. Forms are available through several counties, including San Bernardino, San Diego, and Santa Barbara. The original restrictions are unenforceable, but removing them changes the wording held in the property file and rejects a legacy of segregation.
Why it matters: The wording in a home’s records can be formally removed, but the filing process and requirements depend on the county.
- LAist