MONTEREY >> The Monterey City Council voted unanimously to issue a formal apology to the Indigenous residents of Dutra Street and their descendants, acknowledging the historic injustices committed against Indigenous communities and families in the city during the 1950s.

The proclamation recognizes that Indigenous people have lived on the Monterey Peninsula for thousands of years and continue to contribute to the community. The city acknowledged its role in the displacement of Indigenous families through land grants, treaties, and the use of eminent domain. Compensation for displaced families varied, and no alternative housing was provided.

One of the most significant acts that impacted the Indigenous community occurred in 1959 with the construction of the Monterey Police and Fire Public Safety Complex, on the former site of the Dutra Street communal village. Multiple Indigenous families were forced from the area. The city used eminent domain to acquire properties on Dutra, Madison and Pacific streets. Compensation ranged from $4,499 to $29,499. Families were dispersed, and no replacement housing was arranged.

Rudy Rosales, a community leader who used to live in a house on Dutra Street detailed his family’s experiences being displaced during previous council meetings. He touched on how difficult it was for his father to find replacement housing during that time, and how much he missed the vibrance of the once residential street. Rosales thanked the council for considering and moving forward with the apology.

“We were displaced from our homes, back in 1957, my mom, dad, I, sister and my brother lived up in Deer Flats for two weeks for my dad to find a house, and you think the city would have been been more considerate in finding us a place,” Rosales said.

The proclamation also notes the contributions of Isabel Meadows, an Ohlone woman who preserved Rumsien and Esselen oral histories, culture, and language. These contributions continue to inform cultural preservation efforts today.

Karen Brown, a Monterey resident who has been advocating for the apology to be issued at multiple council meetings and created a report about the history of Dutra Street also said she was relieved to see the council passed the apology unanimously.

“Naming it (issuing the apology) is one big step, and the education is another. This proclamation has done both, it’s beautiful,” Brown said in a statement. “The council vote was unanimous and each member made a heartfelt statement mentioning of support and acknowledged the need for more. There can indeed be many more steps.”

The apology is on page A7 of today’s Monterey Herald. It has also been published in the Monterey County Weekly.