Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60 § 49.60.525
Review of existing recorded covenants and deed restrictions to identify documents that include racial or other unlawful restrictions on property ownership. (Expires July 1, 2027.)
Operative Text
(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the University of Washington and Eastern Washington University shall review existing recorded covenants and deed restrictions to identify those recorded documents that include racial or other restrictions on property ownership or use against protected classes that are unlawful under RCW 49.60.224 . For properties subject to such racial and other unlawful restrictions, the universities shall provide notice to the property owner and to the county auditor of the county in which the property is located. The universities shall provide information to the property owner on how such provisions can be struck pursuant to RCW 49.60.227 . The universities may contract with other public and private not-for-profit higher education institutions that are regionally accredited to carry out the review and notification requirements of this section. (2) This section expires July 1, 2027.
Under Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.525, the University of Washington and Eastern Washington University are directed—subject to available appropriations—to search existing recorded covenants and deed restrictions for language that imposes racial or other unlawful restrictions on property ownership or use. When such documents are found, the universities must notify both the affected property owner and the relevant county auditor, and must inform the owner of the legal process available to have those restrictions removed under state law. This program is set to expire on July 1, 2027, and the universities may partner with other accredited nonprofit higher-education institutions to carry out the work.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners may receive a formal notice from the University of Washington or Eastern Washington University under § 49.60.525 if a recorded covenant or deed restriction on their property contains language that violates RCW 49.60.224's protections against racial or other unlawful restrictions. Compliant property owners typically review any such notice carefully, as it will include information about the statutory process under RCW 49.60.227 for striking the offending language from the public record. Keeping records of any correspondence received from the universities or the county auditor in connection with this review program is a common practice among diligent property managers.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Wash. Rev. Code § 49.60.525 establishes a state-funded review program aimed at surfacing recorded deed restrictions and covenants that unlawfully restrict property ownership or use on the basis of race or other protected characteristics—restrictions that are prohibited under RCW 49.60.224. If a tenant believes a property they occupy or wish to occupy is subject to such a restriction, they may consult a tenant-rights organization or fair-housing agency to understand what remedies or complaint processes may be available. Because this provision expires July 1, 2027, individuals with concerns about discriminatory deed restrictions may wish to explore available resources while the program remains active.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 7, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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