Homeless reach $2.3M settlement with Fresno, Calif., and state Department of Transportation

Staff
AP News

Jun 05, 2008 21:02 EST

Several Fresno homeless people who claimed their belongings were wrongfully seized and destroyed in raids on their camps have reached a $2.3 million settlement with the city and state.

The proposed settlement filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Fresno calls for the city to pay the eight plaintiffs and any others who qualify under the class action suit $1.4 million in cash and living allowances. The state Department of Transportation will pay an additional $85,000 in cash.

The city agreed to pay $850,000 in fees.

A federal judge ruled last month that Fresno's past policy of sending city workers to raid homeless camps and destroy personal property violated constitutional protections against unreasonable search and seizure.

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A judge... a Federal Judge... stood up for the constitutional rights of the Homeless?

Hell ya!

i hate to be cynical but is is election time??

either way that's nice to hear for a change

hello warmachine

Nothing wrong with that except the outrageous amount. Guess who really has to pay that - the already overtaxed taxpayer, that's who. With judges like this it might be better to quit one's job and become a bum or go to McDonalds and pour some hot coffee in your crotch.

Sup, Too Short!

I agree that it was hard on the taxpayer, I think that the judge should now garnish the wages of any city employee who was involved in this until the debt is paid off.