Palm Springs completes $5.9 million settlement payment to Section 14 survivors and descendants ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

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*A billboard erected along a local roadway by members of the Section 14 Survivors organization seen in 2023.*

The city of Palm Springs announced Tuesday that it has fulfilled its $5.9 million settlement payment to Section 14 survivors and descendants, transferring the funds to their legal representatives and completing the financial commitment approved by the City Council in November 2024.

The payment was contingent upon receipt of at least 1,200 signed legal waivers from claimants. As of Monday, nearly 1,500 had been received by the city.

“The City approached this settlement with care, transparency, and respect for everyone involved,” said City Manager Scott Stiles in a statement released Tuesday afternoon. “Our goal from the beginning has been to resolve these longstanding claims in a way that is fair, equitable and with a focus on healing and progress.”

The settlement resolved decades-old claims related to actions involving the redevelopment of Section 14 during the 1950s and 1960s. The comprehensive agreement provides direct financial compensation, housing and business investment programs, and cultural initiatives that honor the legacy of the Section 14 community and represent a continued step toward reconciliation.

The City Council voted to authorize the named claimant representing survivors and descendants and their attorneys to handle disbursement of individual payments once the required waivers were received. As with all settlements of claims or litigation, the city does not get involved in how the claimants and their attorneys share in the proceeds.

Beyond the direct financial compensation, the settlement includes $20 million in affordable housing programs to be implemented over the next decade, prioritizing access for former Section 14 families, along with $1 million in small-business support to strengthen economic opportunity in Palm Springs.

The city said it remains committed to establishing a public memorial and dedicating a future park to honor the families of Section 14.

The agreement also provides that the city will offer support for a potential Section 14 Cultural and Racial Healing Center, which may include letters of support. The city is not obligated to fund any such center but remains committed to helping community-led efforts succeed.