Residents of Plymouth are gearing up to attend an educational Just Deeds event slated for April 29, where they will have an opportunity to learn about a dark part of the city's past - racial covenants in property deeds. The City of Plymouth is hosting the free event from 6-8 p.m. at the Plymouth Community Center, located at 14800 34th Ave. N. Community members will be able to ask questions and will hear from several speakers, including representatives from the City of Plymouth, Just Deeds, Habitat for Humanity, and Free the Deeds.
The purpose of the event is to help property owners understand and potentially begin the process of removing these discriminatory covenants from their deeds. During the early 20th century, certain clauses were included in deeds to prevent people of specific races, ethnicities, or religions from owning, leasing, or occupying properties. Despite the Fair Housing Act of 1968 rendering these covenants unenforceable, they still exist on many deeds, serving as a reminder of past injustices.
According to an announcement by the City of Plymouth, when Plymouth joined the Just Deeds coalition in the fall of 2023, research from the University of Minnesota's Mapping Prejudice project had identified 245 racial covenants within the city's property deeds. The Just Deeds coalition, which includes real estate professionals, lawyers, and community members, has been working across Minnesota to acknowledge and address these issues with the long-term goal of dismantling systemic racism ingrained in the housing sector.
Residents who find these covenants attached to their deeds will be able to start the steps to free their properties of this discriminatory language during the event, with the City of Plymouth and Just Deeds guiding them through the no-cost process. This involves adding a statement to the property title rejecting the exclusionary covenant. Light refreshments will be served at the community gathering and while there’s no cost to attend, registration is encouraged. For additional information on the Just Deeds initiative or to RSVP for the event, those interested can visit the city’s website.
