<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=43Ts6y_0lDGse8F00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=43Ts6y_0lDGse8F00" width="1280" height="960" ></figure><p>When Gerrit Koepping and Elisabeth Zeller were signing the inches-thick stack of real estate documents to buy their Lake Oswego house in 2018, one document left them stunned: A century-old covenant, <a href="https://www.portland.gov/bps/news/2018/3/22/new-research-psu-grad-student-reveals-racist-covenants-across-portland">long illegal</a>, that prevented people of color from owning property in the Lakewood Bay neighborhood.</p><p>Koepping, a longtime teacher at Lake Oswego High School, knew of private covenants, conditions and restrictions with <a href="https://www.oregonlive.com/news/erry-2018/05/fcd13cb4387071/racist_restrictions_now_illega.html">racist restrictions</a> buried in historic title documents. Although their house was built in 1969, it sits on land platted in 1923 by the <a href="https://www.oregonencyclopedia.org/articles/oregon_iron___steel_company/#.ZAktcOvMLDI">Oregon Iron &amp; Steel Company</a>, which drew up the neighborhood’s agreements.</p></div></body>

Mountain View, CA

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Oregon bill would let homeowners replace racist property deeds

When Gerrit Koepping and Elisabeth Zeller were signing the inches-thick stack of real estate documents to buy their Lake Oswego house in 2018, one document left them stunned: A century-old covenant, long illegal, that prevented people of color from owning property in the Lakewood Bay neighborhood. Koepping, a longtime teacher...