Racial Equity Work

Creating a welcoming community for all and establishing ordinances and policies that are equitable is a priority of the City Council. 

In February 2023, the Lauderdale City Council passed a resolution disavowing and condemning the past use of discriminatory covenants in support of the work of Just Deeds. The City Council directed staff to connect community members with restrictive covenants on their deed to pro bono attorneys to get them removed. If any community members have questions or need assistance, contact heather.butkowski@lauderdalemn.org.

The League of Minnesota Cities selected Lauderdale for a pilot program that trained small cities in the Government Alliance on Race and Equity (GARE) model in 2019.  Based on the training, the city council focused its efforts on finding ways to integrate our rental apartment dwellers into the City.  The goal of meeting with residents face-to-face slowed due to COVID-19.  But discussions and efforts remain focuses on equity in all things we do.  Coming up soon will be a major rewrite of the city's zoning code.  As zoning decisions are integral to community health and economic opportunities, the City Council looks forward to weaving racial and socio-economic justice into the laws that govern the city.  If you have ideas on ways we can do more, please reach out to a council member or staff to start the conversation.