Tucson Neighborhood Removes Racist Housing Covenant After Nearly a Century

The San Clemente neighborhood officially eliminated a 1930s covenant that restricted homeownership to white residents.

Apr. 12, 2026 at 10:55pm

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A serene, nostalgic painting of a residential street with modest single-story homes, capturing the quiet, cinematic mood of the neighborhood's historic change.The removal of a long-standing racist housing covenant in Tucson's San Clemente neighborhood marks an important milestone in confronting the city's history of segregation.Tucson Today

The San Clemente neighborhood in Tucson, Arizona has officially removed a nearly century-old racist housing covenant that had restricted homeownership to only white or Caucasian residents. The covenant was originally put in place in the 1930s by the neighborhood's developer, but residents recently took action to erase the discriminatory language after learning about its existence.

Why it matters

The removal of this racist housing covenant is an important step in addressing Tucson's history of segregation and discrimination in housing. Restrictive covenants like this one were once common across the United States, serving to maintain racial segregation in neighborhoods. By taking action to eliminate this language, the San Clemente community is working to confront this troubling legacy and promote greater inclusivity.

The details

Court documents show the race restrictions in the San Clemente neighborhood were officially removed on Friday. While the 1968 Fair Housing Act had already banned racial discrimination in home sales, the neighborhood's original covenant language remained. The covenant was put in place in the 1930s by developer Stanley Williamson, who hoped keeping minorities out would maintain property values. Residents like Margot Veranes and Emerson Edgecombe were shocked and upset to discover the existence of the restrictive covenant, and worked to have it removed.

  • The San Clemente neighborhood's racist housing covenant was originally put in place in the 1930s.
  • The 1968 Fair Housing Act had already banned racial discrimination in home sales, but the neighborhood's original covenant language remained.
  • On Friday, the race restrictions in the San Clemente neighborhood were officially removed from court documents.

The players

Stanley Williamson

The developer who put the racist housing covenant in place in the San Clemente neighborhood in the 1930s, hoping to maintain property values by keeping minorities out.

Margot Veranes

A resident of the San Clemente neighborhood who was upset to discover the existence of the restrictive covenant and took action to have it removed.

Emerson Edgecombe

A resident of the San Clemente neighborhood who was shocked to learn about the racist covenant, particularly as someone who identifies as part of a minority group.

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What they’re saying

“It was a very upsetting experience to see that language.”

— Margot Veranes, Resident

“It was disappointing — we're in the 21st century, far removed from 70 or 80 years ago when we had Jim Crow laws.”

— Emerson Edgecombe, Resident

“One time I thought... if Michael Jordan decided to move into this neighborhood, would you say no? It's really a funny thing.”

— Kalyan Raman Bharathan, Resident

What’s next

Veranes hopes this action in the San Clemente neighborhood will serve as a message to other Tucson neighborhoods with similar racist covenants, urging them to also take steps to remove the discriminatory language.

The takeaway

The removal of this long-standing racist housing covenant in the San Clemente neighborhood is an important step in confronting Tucson's history of segregation and promoting greater inclusivity. This action demonstrates how communities can work to address discriminatory policies that have persisted for generations.