California town agrees to $6 million reparations deal with black and Latino families of neighborhood razed in the 1960s

A California city will vote on whether to approve a nearly $6 million reparations deal for Black and Latino families whose neighborhoods were razed in the 1960s.

Palm Springs’ Section 14, a mile-long stretch of land owned by the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, was razed by city officials in the mid-1960s to make way for commercial development.

More than 230 buildings in the neighborhood, where African American and Latino families built and rented homes, were demolished and burned by the city’s fire department between 1965 and 1967. reports the New York Times.

It was one of the few places where minorities could live because of discriminatory housing restrictions at the time, after a change in federal law allowed the tribe to lease the land for up to 99 years.

Former residents have now accepted a $5.9 million settlement, which the City Council is expected to vote on at a public meeting Thursday.

A package that would include another $21 million for housing, economic development and small business programs will also be voted on.

The city had already set aside $20 million to spend over the next decade on “affordable homeownership” for first-time buyers and created a community land trust for low-income residents.

Those who lived in Section 14 and their descendants would be given priority.

The proposal would also use an additional $1 million to support small businesses through grants and low-interest loans.

A Section 14 monument, along with naming rights for a future public park and racial healing center, is also included in the hefty settlement. KESQ reports.

Members of the Palm Springs Section 14 Survivors group praised the deal, which they formally accepted Wednesday.

“We fought for a long time to tell our story,” Margarita Genera, 86, who lived nearby with her parents and two siblings, told the Times.

Former residents of Section 14 have long claimed they were evicted without notice before their homes were destroyed

The former residents have long maintained that they were evicted with little or no notice before their homes were destroyed, but a 1968 California state investigation concluded that the city showed “civil disregard” for the rights of its minority residents, but there was no evidence of crimes. had been committed.

City officials did not acknowledge the misconduct until 2021, when it formally apologized for the evictions.

The following year, the group of survivors filed a tort claim, claiming the forced evictions were unlawful and amounted to “racially motivated attacks.”

It compared the tragedy to the violence that decimated a vibrant community known as Black Wall Street in 1921, killing as many as 300 people — although no deaths were reported linked to the expulsion of families from Section 14.

“This was a community that was told you don’t deserve it. They were told they were a threat, an eyesore, a public nuisance,” said Areva Martin, a Los Angeles-based civil rights attorney representing the group.

“This was about recognizing the damage that has been done.”

The Palm Springs City Council is expected to vote on the settlement Thursday

The City Council ultimately approved a package to address the historic injustices, including a cash settlement of about $4.3 million in April.

It was increased last week to $5.9 million after city officials received updated information that an estimated 197 homes were included in the original reduction — an increase from the 145 homes previously identified. according to the Palm Springs Post.

That money is now being distributed among the verified former residents and their descendants.

Martin said there were about 300 people in the group, but she expected a smaller number to qualify.

Pearl Devers, who organized the survivors’ group, said the settlement was long overdue.

“While no amount of money can fully restore what we have lost, this agreement helps pave the way for all of us to finally move forward.”

Mayor Jeffrey Bernstein also said in a statement, “The City Council is very pleased that the former residents of Section 14 have agreed to what we believe is a fair and equitable settlement offer.

“The City Council has always respected the historic significance of Section 14, and with this resolution of the claim… we are taking bold and important action that will deliver lasting benefits for our entire community, while providing programs that prioritize support for the former.” residents of Section 14.”