Receive a presentation from the Yolo County Clerk-Recorder on the County's Restrictive Covenant Modification Program (Assembly Bill 1466) regarding the identification and modification of unlawful restrictive covenants in historic property records. (No general fund impact) (Salinas) (Est. Staff Presentation: 15 min)

Receive a presentation from the Yolo County Clerk-Recorder on the County's Restrictive Covenant Modification Program (Assembly Bill 1466) regarding the identification and modification of unlawful restrictive covenants in historic property records.

This presentation provides an overview of Yolo County’s efforts to identify and formally modify unlawful discriminatory restrictive covenants in historic property records. Historically, restrictive covenants were included in deeds and Covenants, Conditions & Restrictions (CC&Rs) to limit property ownership or occupancy based on race, religion, national origin, and other protected characteristics. Although these provisions are legally unenforceable, the language remained in recorded documents.

Following the enactment of California Assembly Bill 1466, Yolo County worked in partnership with legislative leaders and the California Recorder’s Association to advance a statewide framework requiring counties to develop implementation plans, identify and formally modify unlawful restrictive language in recorded documents, and modernize public record systems to improve preservation and access.

Using digitized records and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, the County identified and modified 1,172 documents affecting 58 subdivisions and approximately 8,187 parcels. Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping was used to geographically link and visualize impacted areas, enhancing transparency and public education. This effort modernized public records, preserved historical documents, improved access, and ensured that County records clearly reflect current law and community values.