It targets compensation in the form of mortgage assistance (interest-free down-payment loans) to families that were harmed by racist restrictions in housing opportunities in the years when such restrictions were government sanctioned (prior to the 1968 Fair Housing Act). The statute is “harm based.” It establishes in its first paragraphs that Washington state and local governments caused financial harm by authorizing and enforcing racial restrictive covenants. The law is carefully tailored to the legal requirements of Washington, an anti-affirmative action state. The bill passed with strong majorities in both houses due to huge outpouring of support which included endorsements by the Washington Realtors and the Seattle Times. 2,000 individuals signed in support and were willing to testify during legislature hearings. Frank Chopp, and Senator John Lovick.įlyer distributed by the Housing Development Consortium in support of HB 1474 A coalition of community groups including the Black Home Initiative Network and the Housing Development Consortium promoted the bill. The Covenants Homeownership Account Act was sponsored by 44 members of the House of Representatives and 14 members of the state Senate led by Rep. HB 1474 (2023) HB 1474 AN ACT Relating to creating the covenant homeownership account 1and program to address the history of housing discrimination due to racially restrictive real estate covenants in Washington state. This page reports on the legislation enacted in 2006, 2019, 2021, and 2023 Moreover it is the fourth law inspired by our data on racial restrictive covenants since the project started at the University of Washington almost twenty years ago. The law was based on research conducted by this project. On Apthe Washington legislature passed the Covenants Homeownership Account Act (HB 1474), pioneering legislation that will provide compensation for victims of racial restrictive covenants, the instruments of housing exclusion and segregation that destroyed opportunities for generations of Black, Asian, Latinx, and Indigenous families. The Washington State Housing Finance Commission will administer the Homeownership Account Act.
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