Council unanimously approves settlement with Section 14 group, paving way for reparations ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

Dozens of members of the Section 14 Survivors organization gave public testimony Thursday evening. The Palm Springs City Council unanimously approved a $5.91 million settlement Thursday night for former residents and descendants of Section 14, addressing historical injustices from the 1950s and 1960s. The decision comes after years of negotiations and community advocacy. The settlement, detailed in this report released Thursday evening, aims to compensate individuals whose homes and personal property were destroyed by city employees during evictions from the Section 14 neighborhood, located on Agua Caliente tribal land in the heart of Downtown Palm Springs. “We broke something that was yours and now we need to pay for it,” said Councilmember Lisa Middleton, explaining her support for the resolution. The financial compensation is based on an estimated value of $30,000 per home for 197 non-abandoned residences. The funds will be distributed through a claimant’s attorney trust account to verified former Section 14 residents and their descendants. In addition to the monetary settlement, the council approved several programmatic efforts, including support for a memorial monument, park naming, and a cultural/racial healing center. The council also agreed to establish a Day of Remembrance for Section 14. Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein emphasized the...