(COLORADO SPRINGS) — An archaic racist covenant created for a southeast Colorado Springs neighborhood has been ordered for permanent removal from county records. This covenant, a deplorable relic from the past, effectively barred anyone who wasn’t white from residing in the area.
Dating back to March 3, 1941, the language of the covenant explicitly stated, “No persons of any race other than the Caucasian race shall use or occupy any building or any lot, except that this covenant shall not prevent occupancy by domestic servants of a different race domiciled with an owner or tenant.”
The story of this covenant’s exposure began when local realtor Haelee Swanson, with Colorado Homes and Investments, found herself in the unsettling position of witnessing a client reading this 82-year-old covenant, as she was closing on a house she was about to buy in the Pikes Peak Park neighborhood.
“And I just saw her face. That was my wake-up call. This is personal. It’s still words that hurt… Enforceable or not, why continue to let that harm persist?” Swanson reflected on the distressing experience.
Enforcing any kind of covenant regarding race or religion is against state and federal law. But even though this covenant was not in effect, it persisted in housing documents until just last Friday, Oct. 6.
“The existence of them used to be to keep people who look like me from these neighborhoods…” lamented Jordan Michel, a Colorado Springs homebuyer. “It’s a harsh reality to face when you’re in the process of doing this thing… buying a house, owning property… which is the most important moment in your life.”
Determined to right this historical wrong, Swanson and her team initiated a petition campaign, knocking on doors of all the homes in the Pikes Peak Park neighborhood. Many were shocked to discover the covenant’s existence in their community.
She collected signatures from all 45 homeowners with the exception of one.
On Oct. 6, the El Paso County Clerk and Recorder, Steve Schleiker, took a decisive step by ordering the permanent removal of the covenant from county records, declaring, “We are a better community than this. Something like this should not be part of the permanent record.”
Schleiker is now looking into ways to eliminate such language from all covenants.
Given that these documents are old and not electronically available, he encourages property owners to examine their covenants and reach out for assistance in removing any discriminatory clauses.
“Reach out to me. We will definitely take a look and have that stuff removed,” Schleiker affirmed, reinforcing the commitment to a more equitable future.
