HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 3C73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 100, Palm Desert, CA 92260 | lifttorise.org
RE: REQUEST FOR ACCEPTANCE OF AN INCLUSIONARY HOUSING FEASIBILITY
ANALYSIS AND A COMMERCIAL LINKAGE FEE NEXUS STUDY
Good afternoon, Mayor Garner, Mayor Pro Tem Bernstein, and distinguished council members,
Lift to Rise would like to express our support for the implementation of an inclusionary housing
policy, drafting an ordinance to amend the Palm Springs Zoning Code, and commercial linkage
fee nexus in the city of Palm Springs. These policy interventions will aid in the city’s efforts to
increase the availability of affordable housing while also complying with fair housing laws by
minimizing the concentration of segregated low-income housing. We applaud the city for the
rapid increase of planned affordable housing units and encourage the city to continue that trend
by also adopting an inclusionary housing policy.
Palm Springs has seen a dramatic increase in home prices in recent years. The average cost of
a home is $1.2 million. According to the city’s own Housing Element, the median sales price
increased by 83% for a single-family home and increased by 75% for condominiums from 2012
to 2019. This increase in housing price is more than six times the change in median household
income. Palm Springs’ economy is highly driven by the service industry and this increase in
housing price means service industry workers can no longer afford to buy a home or rent in the
city of which they work.
Per the Housing Element, 27% of the city’s population work service industry jobs; including
food and beverage, healthcare support, and maintenance. The average earnings for a person in
the service industry ranges between $21,000 to $26,400. A one-bedroom apartment costs
approximately $2,040 (At a 200% Fair Market Rate). The average renter’s wage is $17 per
hour, and a person would have to work 120 hours (about 5 full days) to earn enough to pay for
their monthly rent. Inclusionary zoning would make housing more affordable and accessible for
these workers whom the city relies on.
Planning commissioners favored the Recommended Inclusionary Requirement Options for
Rental & Ownership: Option 1 of the three feasible fee options provided by Economic &
Planning Systems, Inc. (EPS) at the June 28 meeting. We recommend Option 3 for both in that
it is more intentionally inclusive with housing options. Palm Springs currently has a Regional
Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) number of 2,557. This inclusionary housing policy brings the
city closer to attaining local and state housing goals outlined in the Housing Element and
ensures that affordable housing is integrated in the community. Additionally, as the city
considers its prohousing designation application, inclusionary zoning is considered a favorable
land use zoning policy and will earn the city additional points on the application.
Although such a policy will aid in the increase in availability of affordable housing units, it
should not take the place of the development of 100% affordable housing. Inclusionary zoning
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 an alternative, but one solution of many and urge the
city to continue to support the development of 100% affordable housing units at and below
80% AMI.
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.
07/24/2023
Public Comment
Item 3C
73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 100, Palm Desert, CA 92260 | lifttorise.org
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
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 planning commission 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
07/24/2023
Public Comment
Item 3C
From:Jeffrey Bernstein
To:City Clerk
Subject:Fwd: APPROVE: Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and Commercial Linkage Fees
Date:Monday, July 24, 2023 9:53:19 AM
Jeffrey Bernstein
Mayor Pro Tem, Councilmember
City of Palm Springs
cell: 442-305-9942
Jeffrey.Bernstein@palmspringsca.gov
City Hall is open Monday –Thursday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. and closed on Fridays.
Begin forwarded message:
From: Don Cecil <donaldcecil@gmail.com>
Subject: APPROVE: Inclusionary Housing Ordinance and
Commercial Linkage Fees
Date: July 24, 2023 at 6:20:40 AM PDT
To: Grace Garner <grace.garner@palmspringsca.gov>, Jeffrey Bernstein
<jeffrey.bernstein@palmspringsca.gov>,
Ron.deHarte@palmspringsca.gov, Christy.Holstege@palmspringsca.gov,
Lisa.Middleton@palmspringsca.gov
Cc: Scott Stiles <Scott.Stiles@palmspringsca.gov>,
chris.hadwin@palmspringsca.gov, Mark Gilbert <mgilbertsf@gmail.com>
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.
Honorable Mayor Garner and Members of the City Council,
On behalf of my husband and me, I would like to strongly urge the City Council
to accept the Planning Commission’s recommendation for the creation of an
inclusionary housing ordinance and commercial linkage fees in the City of Palm
Springs.
We are two of the lucky ones who purchased our home in Palm Springs in 2013.
Since that time, we have seen home prices in our Escena neighborhood increase to
07/24/2023
Public Comment
Item 3C
absurdly unaffordable levels. And not a single affordable home will ever be built
in Escena.
In order to meet the challenges of Palm Springs' housing crisis, inclusionary
housing and linkage fees are essential to ensure the creation of affordable homes
across all AMI categories for all Palm Springs residents, seniors and young
families.
The very fact that no city in the Coachella Valley has taken this policy step should
not been evaluated from a place of fear. I live in Palm Springs because I want to
be represented by a City Council which will be the “first” on critical policy issues
like affordable housing and homeless solutions. If this modest policy proposal
causes a developer to choose not to build in the CIty of Palm Springs - we are
better off without them.
People need housing stability and this policy is an important tool to create new
affordable housing in Palm Springs. Thank you for your consideration of these
opinions.
Don Cecil & Mark Gilbert
Bliss Way
Escena
07/24/2023
Public Comment
Item 3C
From:City of Palm Springs
To:City Clerk; City Clerk
Subject:*NEW SUBMISSION* Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Date:Sunday, July 23, 2023 3:23:45 PM
Submit Public Comment to the City of Palm Springs
Submission #:2584787
IP Address:47.181.10.144
Submission Date:07/23/2023 3:23
Survey Time:14 minutes, 45 seconds
You have a new online form submission.
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Full Name/Nombre
maria song
City of Residence/Ciudad de residencia
Palm Springs,
Phone (optional) /Teléfono (opcional)
(760) 323-4990
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maria@interactivedesigncorp.com
Your Comments/Sus comentarios
Maria Song, Local architect at 199 South Civil Drive, Palm Springs, CA I express my support for the INCLUSIONARY
HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL LINKAGE IMPACT Fee. Affordable housing is very much needed in our community but
continues to be extremely challenging to achieve. My small recommendation is in regard to “In-Lieu Fee (per sq ft)
option”. Add a clause for yearly or periodic adjustments influenced by market changes in construction cost. Keep up
with the Hard and good work. Thank you.
Thank you,
City of Palm Springs
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07/24/2023
Public Comment
Item 3C