Nov 17, 2024 Story by: Editor
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A tentative settlement agreement has been reached between the city of Palm Springs and Black and Latino families displaced from a neighborhood in the 1960s, with the city offering $5.9 million.
Announced Wednesday, the deal will be voted on by the city council Thursday. Areva Martin, a lawyer representing over 300 former residents and their descendants, emphasized the significance of the agreement.
“The fact that we got this over the finish line is remarkable given the headwinds that we faced,” Martin said.
Although the settlement is far less than the $2.3 billion initially sought as restitution, the $5.9 million will provide direct compensation to former residents and their descendants. Additionally, the council will consider allocating $10 million for a first-time homebuyer assistance program, $10 million for a community land trust, and establishing a monument to honor the history of Section 14, the neighborhood affected by the displacement.
It remains unclear how much each individual or family will receive, Martin noted. Housing assistance funds will prioritize low-income Palm Springs residents, particularly former Section 14 residents and their descendants.
Palm Springs Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein expressed satisfaction with the agreement.
“The City Council is deeply gratified that the former residents of Section 14 have agreed to accept what we believe is a fair and just settlement offer,” Bernstein said in a statement.
In 2021, the city formally apologized for its role in the 1960s displacement of Section 14 residents, which included many Black and Mexican American families.
This settlement comes amid mixed progress on reparations efforts at the state level. While Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law apologizing for California’s legacy of racism and discrimination, state lawmakers recently blocked a bill to establish an agency for reparations programs. Newsom also vetoed a proposal that would have helped Black families reclaim property unjustly seized through eminent domain.
Section 14, located on a Native American reservation, was a square-mile neighborhood home to many Black and Mexican American families. Residents recall homes being destroyed—burned or torn down—before families were forced to vacate.
In 2022, former residents filed a tort claim comparing the tragedy to the destruction of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the early 20th century. However, unlike Tulsa, there were no deaths reported in the Section 14 displacement.
Palmdale resident Pearl Devers, who lived in Section 14 until she was 12, described the agreement as a long-overdue recognition of the impact on families.
“While no amount of money can fully restore what we lost, this agreement helps pave the way for us all to finally move forward,” Devers said in a statement. Source: ABC News
