EWU Racial Restrictive Covenants Project Workshop

Does your home have a clause restricting all "non-Caucasians" from living in it? This workshop will give you the tools you need to file a Racial Covenant Amendment Form.

The EWU Racial Covenants Project and the Spokane County Auditor’s Office, will be hosting workshops with the support of Spokane Public Library, to inform interested homeowners and homebuyers how to file a Racial Covenant Amendment form on their working documents with their county Auditor’s office.

Historically, racially restrictive covenants were legal agreements written into property deeds and plat maps, prohibiting people of certain racial and ethnic backgrounds from owning or occupying properties. This practice was part of a broader system of racial segregation that persisted throughout the early and mid-20th century in the United States. Although these covenants were declared unenforceable by the Supreme Court in 1948 and were rendered illegal by the Fair Housing Act of 1968, their remnants persist in property records today. 

The Eastern Washington University (EWU) Racial Covenants Project is a groundbreaking research initiative that emerged from a need to address historical racial injustices embedded in property records. The project formally began in late 2021/early 2022, following the passage of Washington State’s SHB 1335. This important piece of legislation assigned EWU and the University of Washington (UW) the task of locating and informing homeowners of racially restrictive property covenants recorded in property documents.

To read more about the project, and find out if your home is one of the more than 6,400 in Spokane County with a racially restricting covenant, visit our website!

The Spokane County Auditor and a notary will be at this workshop to assist with completing your documents. If all homeowners are present with photo ID, they will have the opportunity to complete the documents that strike the racially restrictive language from their deed, time permitting.

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We strive to make events welcoming for people of all abilities. To request accommodations (i.e. hearing assistance, ASL requests, or other ADA inquiries), email sday@spokanelibrary.org. 

For all event information inquiries, email telref@spokanelibrary.org or call 509-444-5300.

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