Marin County Launches Project to Identify, Rectify Historically Racist Policies

SAN RAFAEL (CBS SF/BCN) -- Marin County officials announced this week they are going over its policies to identify and fix any that prevented people of color from purchasing homes and led to segregated neighborhoods.

Many public agencies throughout Marin County still have not removed racially restrictive covenants that prohibit the purchase, lease, or occupation of a piece of property to a particular group of people, primarily Black and African American people, despite such policies being illegal in the U.S. since congress passed the Fair Housing Act in 1964.

The county Board of Supervisors approved a staff report in May on the Restrictive Covenant Project, which can be read on the county's website.

Through the collaboration of the county's Community Development Agency, Office of Equity and the Assessor-Recorder's Office, county residents are offered several ways to participate in the project.

Residents who own homes built in 1970 or earlier are encouraged to check the Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) mentioned in their real estate documents to see if discriminatory language exists. If found, the property owner will have a chance to file a public statement protesting the offensive passages with the Assessor-Recorder's Office.

In addition, the county encourages residents, former residents and families who currently live or formerly lived in Marin County to share personal stories about their lived experiences in the county to help create a narrative history.