Learn About History of Section 14

Palm Springs Welcomes Residents to Learn About History of Section 14 by visiting “Engage Palm Springs

PALM SPRINGS —If you have ever wanted to learn more about the history of section 14, there has never been a better time than now.

The City of Palm Springs encourages residents and stakeholders to delve deeper into the events of Section 14 by reviewing a plethora of informative materials and historical documents now available online at EngagePalmSprings.com.

Section 14 is a one-square-mile tract adjacent to downtown Palm Springs. Throughout 1956-1969, properties in Section 14 – many of which were makeshift homes for renters – were abated by burning and demolition due to health concerns from the County of Riverside and ongoing development efforts.

On April 11, 2024, the city of Palm Springs committed to a series of programmatic actions to address the events of Section 14 after thoughtful and robust discussions. Central to these equity efforts is developing a comprehensive understanding of the history and significance of Section 14 and its implications for present-day communities.

Last week, at the direction of City Council, the city developed a dedicated webpage to address the events of Section 14. On this webpage, the city released a series of fact sheets that:

• Explore the history of Section 14 throughout the 20th century.
• Answer key questions that Palm Springs residents and stakeholders may have about the recently announced equity efforts.
• Provide a timeline of the city’s work to address Section 14 thus far.

This week, the city also posted a “Section 14 Historical Slide Deck,” which discusses the history of Section 14 in greater detail with key historical documents, photographs, and maps. These informational materials were created after extensive reviews and analyses of historic city documents.