Participating Cities

Golden Valley

The City of Golden Valley commits to the mission of Just Deeds by educating homeowners about the lasting impacts of racially restrictive covenants and connecting residents to free services to discharge discriminatory covenants. The spirit of the Just Deeds mission permeates the City’s work through ongoing examination of City policies, practices and regulations to eliminate inequality.

Golden Valley Just Deeds >

Robbinsdale

The City of Robbinsdale is committed to the Just Deeds mission and is honored to have been the first city to join Golden Valley in this undertaking. The city is carrying out the mission by providing historical information about restrictive covenants in Robbinsdale and connecting its residents to free services to discharge discriminatory covenants. The Just Deeds work blends with the city's ongoing examination of policies and programming for equity and inclusion.

Robbinsdale Just Deeds >

New Hope

In January of 2021, the New Hope City Council passed a resolution disavowing and condemning the past use of discriminatory covenants and prohibiting discriminatory covenants from being used in the future. While there are no known discriminatory covenants recorded for properties in New Hope, the city supports the efforts of neighboring cities to remove such covenants from property titles and it supports the efforts of the Just Deeds Coalition to educate the community about this and other historically discriminatory practices.

New Hope Just Deeds >

Crystal

The City of Crystal is joining with other cities in the Just Deeds coalition to provide information about the existence, history and impact of discriminatory covenants. The city will connect Crystal property owners with resources to help them renounce restrictive covenants on their property. The city is also exploring renouncing any discriminatory covenants present on city-owned property.

Crystal Just Deeds >

Minnetonka

Minnetonka commits to building an inclusive community by confronting systemic racism in housing. Through Just Deeds, the city will renounce discriminatory covenants on city-owned properties and will assist property owners in identifying and removing discriminatory covenants from their properties. Redressing historic racism in housing is only one step in the city’s continuing efforts to make Minnetonka a place where all are welcome.

Minnetonka Just Deeds >

Minneapolis

The City of Minneapolis is pleased to offer the new Just Deeds Project. The Project gives Minneapolis homeowners the chance to learn about and discharge the racial covenants recorded on their properties. It also allows homeowners to reclaim their homes as equitable spaces.

Minneapolis Just Deeds >

Hopkins

Discriminatory covenants led to segregated communities and inequitable opportunities and access to services that continue to impact our communities today. The City of Hopkins is committed to doing what it can to acknowledge and work towards systemic changes to produce equitable outcomes going forward. The mission of Just Deeds fits perfectly into these goals and we are proud to partner.

Hopkins Just Deeds >

Rochester

The City of Rochester is proud to be a part of the Just Deeds Coalition. The unanimous approval by the City Council reflects the organization's Foundational Principle and commitment to social equity. As a part of the program, the City of Rochester is committed to an educational component to the program; by making these covenants public and mapping where they were instituted. This is one of many steps in the City's continued efforts to make Rochester a place where all are welcome and have an opportunity to thrive. The Just Deeds Coalition is dedicated to identification, eradication, and education on racially discriminatory covenants on properties. These covenants led to inequitable access to property and led to segregated communities, including Rochester.

Rochester Just Deeds >

Richfield

Richfield is a diverse community where everyone should have the opportunity to thrive. We believe that race should not be a determining factor of success. Who we are and what we do, as the City government, should reflect our community. We are proud to join with other cities in Minnesota in committing to the mission of the Just Deeds Project. Through the Just Deeds Project, the City of Richfield will work to provide information about the existence, history, and impact of discriminatory covenants in our Urban Hometown. The City will connect residents to free services to discharge discriminatory covenants from their properties. By participating in the Just Deeds Project, the City furthers our commitment to equity in our community.

Richfield Just Deeds >

Edina

On June 1, 2021, the City Council approved Resolution 2021-43 (PDF), condemning the use of discriminatory covenants, discharging them from City-owned property and approving participation in the Just Deeds coalition to help Edina residents remove such covenants from private property. Several City staff throughout the organization participated in researching, planning and implementing the renouncing of covenants on public property and launching Just Deeds for Edina residents. City staff is available at justdeeds@EdinaMN.org for those who might have questions.

Edina Just Deeds >

St. Louis Park

As part of its commitment to being a leader in racial equity and inclusion and to create a more just and inclusive community for all, the City of St. Louis Park joins The Just Deeds Project. St. Louis Park is proud to partner with a growing coalition of other local cities to acknowledge the harm the covenants have caused and to help homeowners and our community begin to address the adverse effects on the Black community and other communities of color. More information will be available soon about how you can be involved in the City's local project!

St. Louis Park Just Deeds >

Bloomington

As a Just Deeds Coalition participant, the City of Bloomington is working with volunteer experts to help the 500 owners of Bloomington properties with discriminatory covenants discharge the covenants from the property’s legal title. These discriminatory covenants were once used to keep people of color from buying houses in many Minnesota neighborhoods. The result was a century of segregated communities.

City of Bloomington - Just Deeds >

St. Anthony Village

In September 2021, the St. Anthony City Council approved a partnership with the Just Deeds Project to better align with our commitment of being a welcoming, safe community. Through this partnership of supporting the removal of discriminatory language from residents' property covenants, it was discovered that more than 400 of such covenants are listed for our residents that live in Hennepin County. We are proud to be one of the many cities throughout Minnesota to take part in this collaboration with the Just Deeds Project as we work together to create equitable, systemic change.

St Anthony Village Just Deeds >

Wayzata

In October 2021, the Wayzata City Council approved a resolution to condemn the past use of discriminatory covenants and join the Just Deeds Coalition. Through this resolution, the City recognizes that discriminatory covenants fortified systemic racism and compounded economic disinvestment in specific communities within Hennepin County, and that due in part to this historical practice, the population of the City of Wayzata is relatively less racially and economically diverse. The City and local partners are proudly committed to assisting homeowners in renouncing covenants and educating the community about discriminatory practices.

Wayzata Just Deeds >

Brooklyn Park

The City of Brooklyn Park is joining with other cities in the Just Deeds coalition to connect residents with educational resources about the history and impact of racially discriminatory covenants. This partnership will also help the city and property owners identify and discharge covenants from their properties at no cost. The vision of Brooklyn Park is a thriving community inspiring pride where opportunities exist for all, and acknowledging the history of systemic racism is an important step to making Brooklyn Park a more inclusive environment for its residents.

Brooklyn Park Just Deeds >

Falcon Heights

With guidance from the Just Deeds project, Falcon Heights homeowners can disavow and renounce the restrictive covenants on their property records.

Falcon Heights Just Deeds >

St. Paul

The City of Saint Paul has joined the Just Deeds Coalition to connect residents to resources to remove restrictive racial covenants from property deeds in an effort to make Saint Paul more equitable today and contribute to the wellbeing of generations to come.

St. Paul Just Deeds >

Shoreview

The coalition helps property owners remove discriminatory covenants from their titles. Its members range from cities and counties to law firms and realtors. They are dedicated to acknowledging and addressing systemic racism in Minnesota housing.

Shoreview Just Deeds >

Roseville

As part of its commitment to being a leader in racial equity and inclusion and to create a more just and inclusive community for all, the City of Roseville passed a resolution on July 11, 2022 joining the Just Deeds Project. The Just Deeds Project helps homeowners and cities discharge discriminatory language from property titles.

Roseville Just Deeds >

Lauderdale

In February 2023, the Lauderdale City Council passed a resolution disavowing and condemning the past use of discriminatory covenants. The City Council directed staff to connect community members with restrictive covenants on their deed to pro bono attorneys to get them removed. The Just Deeds work amplifies the city's ongoing work towards equity, inclusion, and affordable housing.

City of Lauderdale Just Deeds >

New Brighton

New Brighton joined the Just Deeds Coalition on March 14, 2023, and embarks on a journey away from the harmful legacy of discriminatory covenants toward community healing through learning and action.

New Brighton Just Deeds >

Arden Hills

On April 10, 2023, the City of Arden Hills joined the Just Deeds Project to condemn the use of discriminatory covenants and discharge any such covenants on city-owned property. With the help of Just Deeds, Arden Hills homeowners can also disavow and renounce any restrictive covenants on their property records. Partnering with Just Deeds aids Arden Hill's vision of being a desirable city to live, work and play in.

City of Arden Hills >

Little Canada

The City of Little Canada adopted a resolution on April 12, 2023 condemning the use of discriminatory covenants and approving participation in the Just Deeds Coalition.

City of Little Canada >

Le Sueur

On May 22, 2023, the City Council of the City of Le Sueur adopted a resolution condemning and disavowing the historical use of discriminatory covenants within the city, directing staff to work toward discharging such covenants on city-owned property, and committing to the Just Deeds Coalition. This commitment is an important step in acknowledging historical, systemic discrimination while assisting local property owners with the discharge of discriminatory language from their property deeds.

Osseo

Osseo is committed to actively engaging in the Just Deeds mission so it can move towards rectifying the injustices of the past and fostering a more inclusive and equitable community. We recognize the power of language in perpetuating discrimination, but also that we have an opportunity to address that language and build a new legacy for our city. We hope that by taking part in Just Deeds we can ensure every Osseo resident feels at home.

City of Osseo >

Mankato

The Mankato City Council recently approved a Resolution to join the Just Deeds Coalition, allowing the City of Mankato to leverage community partners that support property owners in removing their discriminatory covenants at no charge, to raise awareness about the harmful legacy of the covenants and to discharge discriminatory covenants on city-owned properties. Mankato joins other city partners to acknowledge the impacts of racial covenants and to help address the housing disparities that exist within Mankato today.

City of Mankato  >

Vadnais Heights

City of Vadnais Heights  >

Plymouth

In October 2023, the Plymouth City Council passed a resolution to partner with Just Deeds to be part of the growing effort to discharge racial covenants from property deeds and educate our community members about the history of discrimination in housing. As we strive to be a City of Choice, it’s critical that we are addressing inequities in all areas and ensuring that everyone feels welcome in our city. Joining Just Deeds is one important step in that direction, and we are proud to be part of this community.

City of Plymouth  >