California family discovers new neighborhood has a 'whites only' rule

A man holding a house key.
(Image credit: iStock)

When the Foster family moved into the El Dorado Hills neighborhood outside of Sacramento, California, they say they discovered a long-forgotten rule regarding the race of residents.

Clause 13 of the Lake Hills CC&R states as follows: "No person except those of the white Caucasian race shall use, occupy, or reside upon any residential lot or plot in this subdivision, except when employed in the household of a white Caucasian tenant or owner." Liese Foster told ABC 13 that while "everyone knows you can't enforce things like that," it still "sends a message." Some neighbors had no idea that the rule, on the books since 1961, existed, while others said they did know about it, but since non-whites live in the neighborhood and it's never been enforced, they pay it no mind.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.