City of Palm Springs commences Section 14 Historical Context Study
The City of Palms Springs recently commenced a Historical Context Study to document the facts surrounding the complex history of Section 14.
Section 14 is a one-square-mile tract previously held by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, adjacent to downtown Palm Springs. This area used to home hundreds of people, mostly minority families, until the 1950s and 1960s when they were evicted.
The well known Southern California consultant Architectural Resources Group (ARG) was chosen to conduct the study. The firm is uniquely qualified to manage the review due to their extensive experience overseeing similar successful studies with other municipalities including Los Angeles, Pasadena, West Hollywood, and Culver City.
In a meeting held on April 11, the City Council directed Staff to find a qualified consultant for the Historical Context Study. Early this month (June), ARG Staff began the review. A draft study is expected to be completed in September and the final presentation of the review is expected to occur in November.
The purpose of the Historical Context Study is to document the history of Section 14 during the time the City was asked to assist the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians clear their property. In addition, it will help the Council more clearly determine the City’s role and responsibilities related to the displacements.
“The City Council values an external third party who will analyze historical documents and provide the City and all residents and stakeholders with a comprehensive historical report of Section 14,” said Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein. “My Council colleagues and I are united in agreement that we want to work together as a community to address the inequities of the past and this Historical Context Study is the first step in the process.”
The decision to conduct a Historical Context Review follows a long-standing debate over racial reparations for Section 14 survivors and descendants.
Section 14 became a prominent point of discussion of the Palm Springs City Council in June of 2020, when hundreds of people signed a petition to remove the statue of former mayor Frank Bogert in front of Palm Springs City Hall.
In September of 2021, the City Council voted to move forward with an apology for the city government’s role in the destruction of Section 14 more than 50 years ago. At that same meeting, city staff agreed to bring back budget proposals for reparations to those affected within the year. However, survivors of Section 14 felt as though conversations surrounding reparations began to come to a halt.
As a result, the city of Palm Springs began facing legal action in November of 2022. The group of survivors, with the advice of economist Dr. Julianna Malveaux and lead attorney Areva Martin, began seeking direct payments for the racially motivated harm caused by the evictions, with damages ranging from $400 million to $2 billion.
In a 3-2 vote in April of 2023, the City Council voted not to approve a consultant agreement to develop reparations program services like the survivors had long urged for.
Following a closed City Council meeting in January of 2024 in which Section 14 survivors rallied to discuss movement on the reparation plans, the Council issued a statement agreeing to several actions involving the issue in April.
Besides agreeing to a Historical Context Study, the City Council collectively agreed in April to offer $4.3 million to residents with verified property losses related to Section 14 and request Staff to look at commencing several programmatic actions to address past inequities. These actions include building more affordable housing, increasing economic opportunities for underserved communities, exploring the feasibility of building a Healing Center dedicated to Section 14, and potentially renaming a community park, dedicating an art installation, and/or creating a day of remembrance. Some of these efforts are expected to come before the Council for discussion within the coming months.
Survivors group attorney Areva Martin responded to the $4.3 million with a counteroffer of $105 million. The City then released a statement in May saying they were "shocked" and "astounded" by the counteroffer.
The negotiation process for reparations continues.
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