Palm Springs, CA (October 10, 2024) – Today, following a lengthy closed session City Council discussion, the City of Palm Springs announced that it would hold one additional closed session regarding Section 14 and dedicate the regularly scheduled City Council meeting on Thursday, November 14 to the matter of Section 14. In response to this announcement, Attorney Areva Martin, lead counsel for the Section 14 Survivors and their descendants, issued the following statement:
“The Survivors of Section 14 have endured decades of trauma, heartache, addiction, deteriorating mental health, and a host of other impacts as a result of the destruction of their homes and community at the hands of Palm Springs. They have waited years for this council to finally do the right thing and deliver a fair and dignified resolution – often traveling far distances and overcoming physical disabilities just for a chance to share their stories in the hopes that it will move the needle toward progress. Tragically, too many have perished along the way, and time is running short. My clients are grateful to those Council members who had the courage to move this matter forward. They remain cautiously optimistic that a resolution is near and will not rest until they have secured the justice they deserve.”
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