"In post-Civil War Minnesota and across the country, developers, real estate agents, and local, state and federal governments prohibited Black Americans from realizing their full rights and opportunities as citizens. Governments and developers deliberately used discriminatory covenants to create segregated communities and build wealth for the white community at the expense of the Black community and other people of color.

These “white-only” covenants restricted families along racial and ethnic lines from owning homes in the majority of neighborhoods in our cities." 

Click to read more about the history of discriminatory covenants

The City of Wayzata is available to help homeowners in our community identify if their property has a racially restrictive covenant, and how to go about the process of discharging it. Areas in Wayzata that have been identified include the Highlands and Holdridge neighborhoods.

Discriminatory covenants are no longer enforceable but they send a message about who is welcome in our community. Discharging covenants is one of many steps people can take to acknowledge and address systemic racism in housing and economic inclusion for BIPOC Minnesotans and Wayzata residents. It will show that now and in the future, discriminatory language and systemic racism is unacceptable in Wayzata. By discharging your covenant, you are joining a movement of people in Wayzata and in Minnesota who are committed to promoting anti-racism in housing.

There are 137 properties with racially restrictive covenants in Wayzata. They are primarily in the Highlands and Holdridge neighborhoods. There are more than 20,000 properties in Hennepin County with covenants.