BEND, OR -- A local group says it's found discriminatory language on nearly 200 deeds in one northeast Bend neighborhood.  

Riccardo Waites, of the Central Oregon Black Leaders Assembly, tells KBND News the research was part of the Good Deeds Program, "It researches the county's database looking for deeds of record that have racially-biased language in the deeds. And then we show homeowners and landowners how to have those removed."

The group notified property owners in the Wiestoria neighborhood the language in their deeds going back to the early 1900s excludes those of Chinese or Japanese descent from owning or occupying the property. The discriminatory language does allow for Chinese or Japanese to work on the property.

"Our whole thing in this is to bring education to the community. We've sent out these notices to inform them that they have one so they can learn what racially-biased covenants are, and how to get them removed," Waites says.

Deschutes County clerk Steve Dennison says an amended law passed last year by the state legislature allows the deed language to be changed, "Generally it's identifying the language that's of concern, taking that to the court, and the owners would then take it to us (county clerk's office) and we would record and then redact based on that order."

Dennison tells KBND News Deschutes County has not had any deeds submitted for review. Clackamas County redacted language on a deed earlier this year.