HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3BFrom:Jessika Pollard
To:City Clerk
Cc:Ian Gabriel; Melisa Dolores-Silva
Subject:Item 3B city council meeting
Date:Thursday, June 29, 2023 9:28:00 AM
Attachments:PS TOT Comment Letter.pdf
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Hello,
Please find attached a letter of support for item 3B on the city council agenda for
today.
Thank you!
Best,
Jessika Pollard
Senior Policy Analyst
O: +760.239.7160
C: +760.898.9995
lifttorise.org
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06/29/2023
Public Comment
Item 3B
73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 100, Palm Desert, CA 92260 | lifttorise.org
RE: CONSIDERATION OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A CITY COUNCIL POLICY
PROVIDING A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF TRANSIENT OCCUPANCY TAX (TOT) BE
SET ASIDE AND USED FOR FUTURE AFFORDABLE HOUSING NEEDS
Dear Mayor Garner, Mayor Pro Tem Bernstein, and distinguished council members,
Lift to Rise would like to express our strong support for the establishment of a city council policy
providing a certain percentage of transient occupancy tax (TOT) be set aside and used for
future affordable housing needs.
Lodging is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the greater Palm Springs area. In 2021, visitors grew
their spending on lodging to $1.7 billion, which is 30% of the average visitor spending. Given
the major events hosted in the Coachella Valley (i.e., Coachella Music and Arts Festival, annual
PGA tours, live concerts at the Acrisure Arena, etc.) tourism is not slowing down and this
allocation would be a great use of funds to support the health and well-being of our full-time
residents by supporting affordable housing policies.
Per the city’s Housing Element, 27 percent of the Palm Springs population work service industry
jobs (i.e., lodging); including hospitality and food and beverage. The average earnings for a
person in the service industry range between $21,000 to $26,400 annually. A one-bedroom
apartment costs approximately $2,040 (At a 200% Fair Market Rate). The average renter’s
wage is $17 per hour, and that person would have to work 120 hours (about 5 full days) to
earn enough to pay for their monthly rent. A designation from the TOT to an affordable housing
fund such as the We Lift: Coachella Valley Housing Catalyst Fund already active and established
in the region, would make housing more affordable and accessible for those workers whom the
city relies on.
While the city's proposal is an improvement from the status quo, the scale of the housing
affordability crisis requires even bolder action to address. We suggest at least a 3% allocation
given the health of tourism and transient guests drawn to City of Palm Springs. Allocating at
least 3% of the 13.5% or 11.5% TOT that is already established would not burden the city’s
residents or visitors. Palm springs TOT rates have been steady at 13.5% for Group Meeting
hotels and 11.5% for all other hotels, Vacation Rentals, and Agencies, since 2002. We suggest
allocation from both. Being that the rate of travel has increased substantially since then, it may
also be beneficial to reconsider these percentages.
The city currently has a Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) number of 2,557. The funds
generated from the TOT will allow the city greater opportunities to achieve those numbers and
ensure that affordable housing is integrated within the vibrancy of the community. However,
this policy is meant only to be a tool to promote the increase of affordable housing and as such,
we caution the city not to interpret this as the only solution, but one option of many.
Lift to Rise was formed to transform the systems that generate the supply of affordable
housing, recognizing that the combination of low wages and high housing costs are the root
causes of financial precarity among Coachella Valley residents.
That is why Lift to Rise and over 60 cross-sector partners, including the City of Palm Springs,
have coordinated around a shared goal of reducing the regional housing cost burden at a
06/29/2023
Public Comment
Item 3B
73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 100, Palm Desert, CA 92260 | lifttorise.org
population level through the production of 10,000 units of affordable housing in the Coachella
Valley by 2028.
Together, we are operating off a shared Action Plan which spans 5 key strategy areas:
1. Aggregating a pipeline of community-prioritized projects across the valley,
2. Growing a regional Housing Catalyst fund to spur production,
3. Advocating at the local, state, and federal level for policies and regulatory changes that
Support housing production in our region,
4. Engaging and mobilizing residents and elected officials in support of affordable housing,
and
5. Keeping residents housed through a coordinated eviction prevention strategy.
We stand ready as a collaborative to support the city to increase affordability. We thank the City
of Palm Springs for joining us in this work thus far and urge the city council to continue to
prioritize the production of affordable housing to ensure that all residents are healthy, stable,
and thriving and urge you again prioritize affordability with this recommendation.
Thank you for your time.
Lift to Rise
06/29/2023
Public Comment
Item 3B
73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 100, Palm Desert, CA 92260 | lifttorise.org
RE: Item 3B Request to Add Chapter 5.89 to the Palm Springs Municipal Code
Relating to Sidewalk Vending to and an Amendment to Chapter 5.48 Relative to
Commercial Solicitation
Dear Mayor Grace Garner, Mayor Pro Tem Jeffery Bernstein, and distinguished council
members,
On behalf of Lift to Rise, we are writing to urge the Palm Springs City Council to approve the
request to add chapter 5.89 to the Palm Springs municipal code relating to sidewalk vending to
and an amendment to chapter 5.48 relative to commercial solicitation, that will take into
consideration the experiences of street vendors in Palm Springs.
Street vendors provide the contextual concept of culture that is present throughout the city of
Palm Springs. These vendors often provide an extensive variety of accessible food options
contributing to the joyful experience of residents, visitors, and tourists throughout the day and
what we see with the city’s nightlife, while allowing the vendor to earn an honest stream of
income.
Although this new ordinance will allow the continued culture that hard working street vendors
bring to the city, there are other vulnerabilities not fully addressed. Here are a few inclusions
that should be considered with the new ordinance:
•Citation fee structure – needs to be modified to help reduce the cost of each citation.
The fines should be a quarter of what the state’s suggestion through the Safe Sidewalk
Vending Act (SB 946). For example, the first administrative citation should be $20 as
opposed to $100. Additionally, the city should consider reducing the “clear pathways”
regulations from 48 inches to 36 inches, which is still in compliance with ADA
regulations.
•Arenas district — Vendors are given a set up window from 4:00 pm to 11:00 pm. This is
restrictive and is a clear violation of SB 946 with no proof of health and safety concerns.
Consider working with the bars, restaurants and clubs in this district which can provide
sidewalk vendors with a “Shared Kitchen Agreement” to ensure the food is prepared and
cooked before the “hot holding” on carts takes place. The Revolution cart “El Tamalero”
is the first example of how a sidewalk vendor can prepare and cook tamales at an
existing commercial kitchen space and then load their cart with up to 250 tamales to
sale on designated sidewalks like those on Arenas. These spaces are a way for the
businesses on these streets to support or expand their own small business.
•Restroom Agreements – Local brick and mortars can also provide a “Restroom
Agreement” for vendors who may use a cart without a sink due to prohibitive designs of
their carts. Nearby restaurants and bars may serve as...
•Elders Business License Waiver – Helping the aging population by decreasing the
requirements of expensive permits allows Palm Springs the opportunity to support their
well-being, especially those on a fixed income. Palm Springs should consider waiving the
fee for vendors 55 and older.
The challenges facing affordable housing often intersect with economic mobility which is why
Lift to Rise also has a focus on increasing incomes, generating employment opportunities, and
09/14/2023
Public Comment
Item 3B
73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 100, Palm Desert, CA 92260 | lifttorise.org
stabilizing working families so that the Coachella Valley becomes a place of opportunity for
everyone. Street vendors are not outsiders, but rather integral community members. They work
from sunrise to sunset to not only provide delicious food, but also a strong sense of community
and connection to culture.
Lift to Rise was formed to transform the systems that generate supply of affordable housing,
recognizing that the combination of low wages and high housing costs are the root causes of
financial precarity among Coachella Valley residents. Our focus on economic mobility helps drive
this work.
Together with over 60 cross-sector partners, including the City of Palm Springs, we have
coordinated a shared goal of reducing the regional housing cost burden at a population level
through the production of 10,000 units of affordable housing in the Coachella Valley by 2028.
We are operating off a shared Action Plan which spans 5 key strategy areas:
1. Aggregating a pipeline of community-prioritized projects across the valley,
2. Growing a regional Housing Catalyst fund to spur production,
3. Advocating at the local, state, and federal level for policies and regulatory changes
that support housing production in our region,
4. Engaging and mobilizing residents and elected officials in support of affordable
housing, and
5. Keeping residents housed through a coordinated eviction prevention strategy.
We stand ready as a collaborative to support the city to increase economic mobility and
security. We thank the City of Palm Springs for their efforts in joining us in the work of
affordable housing and building economic stability thus far and urge the City Council to continue
to prioritize practices that ensure all residents are healthy, stable, and thriving.
Thank you for your time.
Lift to Rise
09/14/2023
Public Comment
Item 3B
From:tjhollman1@everyactioncustom.com on behalf of Taylor Hollman
To:City Clerk
Subject:Support Street Vendors in Palm Springs!
Date:Thursday, September 14, 2023 5:09:13 PM
NOTICE: This message originated outside of The City of Palm Springs -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open
attachments unless you are sure the content is safe.
Dear City Clerk,
I'm writing in to urge the City of Palm Springs to stay trueq to its commitment of supporting all small businesses,
including sidewalk vendors, by adopting the following changes:
1. Please remove the seasonal prohibition on street vending in the downtown areas of the Arenas District and Palm
Canyon for the months of October to April, Friday - Sunday, from 4:00 - 11:00 PM.
2. Please reduce the 48” clear pathway for sidewalks to 36”, which will still be in compliance with ADA regulations.
3. Finally please grant Free Business licenses for elders ages 55 and older.
Sidewalk vendors will be a great benefit for the City of Palm Springs. They attract new clientele to low foot traffic
areas. Also, they can form mutually beneficial relationships with local brick-and-mortar restaurants through shared
kitchen agreements and by attracting more clients that can visit surrounding businesses. They only need a chance to
thrive in the local economy.
Sincerely,
Mr. Taylor Hollman
March Air Reserve Base, CA 92518
tjhollman1@gmail.com
09/14/2023
Public Comment
Item 3B