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 importance of moving forward, stating, “There is no way to right the wrongs of the past. What we can do is we can heal and move forward and we can look at restorative justice.”
The council also allocated $20 million over 10 years for affordable housing programs, including first-time homebuyer assistance. An additional $1 million will support a small business program for marginalized entrepreneurs in Palm Springs over five years.
City Attorney Jeff Ballinger noted that while the city’s obligations are largely moral rather than legal due to statute of limitations, the settlement avoids potential lengthy and costly litigation.
“I could see that litigation lasting three, five, maybe even seven years,” Ballinger said, estimating legal costs could range from $500,000 to $2 million.
Public testimony during the meeting highlighted the generational trauma and economic impact on Section 14 families.
Some council members expressed concerns about the settlement process and the accuracy of historical data, with Mayor Pro Tem Ron deHarte calling for a peer review of the recently released historical context study, with opportunities for residents to provide additional information.
The settlement addresses a complex history involving multiple entities, including the Agua Caliente tribe. Councilmember Middleton noted that in 1950, one-third of Palm Springs’ population lived in Section 14, largely comprising the city’s working class. By the 1960s, she noted, only a portion of that population remained.
“If 2,300 people can leave and 200 people who are left are Black, you cannot tell me race did not play a significant role,” Middleton said, referencing demographic shifts between 1950 and 1965.
City Manager Scott Stiles emphasized the extensive work by city staff and consultants in reaching this resolution. He described the settlement as “a testament to all of their tireless work, working in conjunction with the survivors and descendants partners and alongside every member of this City Council.”