5-331 - Certain covenants and restrictions in conveyances and other agreements affecting real property void as against public policy.

§ 5-331. Certain  covenants  and restrictions in conveyances and other  agreements affecting real property void as against  public  policy.  Any  promise, covenant or restriction in a contract, mortgage, lease, deed or  conveyance or in any other agreement affecting real property, heretofore  or hereafter made or entered into, which limits, restrains, prohibits or  otherwise  provides against the sale, grant, gift, transfer, assignment,  conveyance, ownership, lease, rental, use or occupancy of real  property  to  or  by any person because of race, creed, color, national origin, or  ancestry, is hereby declared to be void as against public policy, wholly  unenforceable, and shall not constitute a defense in any action, suit or  proceeding. No such promise, covenant or restriction shall be listed  as  a  valid  provision affecting such property in public notices concerning  such  property.  The  invalidity  of  any  such  promise,  covenant   or  restriction  in  any  such  instrument or agreement shall not affect the  validity of any other provision therein, but no reverter shall occur, no  possessory estate shall result, nor any right of entry  or  right  to  a  penalty  or  forfeiture  shall accrue by reason of the disregard of such  promise, covenant or  restriction.  This  section  shall  not  apply  to  conveyances  or  devises  to  religious associations or corporations for  religious purposes, but, such promise,  covenant  or  restriction  shall  cease  to  be  enforceable  and  shall  otherwise  become subject to the  provisions of this section when the real property affected  shall  cease  to be used for such purpose.