What are covenants and easements?
Covenants are restrictions attached in perpetuity to the deed of a historic property to ensure that the integrity of the structure or the land on which it is situated is protected once the property is sold. An Easement is a partial interest in real property acquired through donation or purchase, carried as a deed restriction or covenant and monitored by a qualified preservation organization to protect important open spaces, building facades, and interiors. Easement programs have been established to protect farmland around rural villages, a block of commercial buildings or a stretch of scenic roadway. A facade easement involves preservation of a building’s facade by restricting the right to alter the building’s exterior front. Covenants and easements are best held by a local organization that can monitor the property on a regular basis.
