‘Section 14 Survivors’ reach $5.9M deal with the city of Palm Springs

"Section 14 Survivors" and the city of Palm Springs might be closer to the resolution of a decades-long debate.

According to the city and the "Section 14 Survivors" group, both parties reached a settlement agreement of 5.91 million in direct financial compensation for "the losses sustained by former residents and their descendants."

"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,'' Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein said. "The City Council has always respected the historical significance of Section 14, and with this resolution of the claim ... we are taking bold and important action that will create lasting benefits for our entire community, while providing programs that prioritize support for the former residents of Section 14."

In addition, the Palm Springs City Council will vote on a separate package of economic development and housing initiatives "designed to benefit all Palm Springs residents, including former residents of Section 14 and their descendants."

According to an attorney representing the group, these initiatives are valued at approximately $21 million are not part of the legal settlement and will be reviewed and voted on independently. 

The initiatives include:

• $20 Million in Housing Programs: 
  • Over ten years, from funds already set aside for housing opportunities, these programs aim to provide affordable homeownership for first-time buyers and establish a Community Land Trust for low-income residents, with priority access for the former residents of Section 14 and descendants.
• $1 Million for Small Business Support: 
  • A partnership with the Caravanserai Project will provide grants and low-interest loans to promote economic empowerment for disadvantaged groups, with dedicated outreach to the former residents of Section 14 and descendants.
• Cultural Initiatives to Honor Section 14’s Legacy:
  • The City has committed to exploring the renaming of a community park when new parks come online and establishing a public monument to honor the legacy of former Section 14 residents. The City would support a racial healing center driven by the former residents of Section 14 by letters of support, but no land or location has been agreed upon. Additionally, the City has not agreed to convey any land for such purposes.  

The city council will consider during Thursday's city council meeting.

Section 14 was a one-square-mile area of land located next to Downtown Palm Springs. The city participated in clearing the Agua Caliente land for future development in the 1960s, after its mostly minority residents had been evicted.

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