Dec. 13 Daily Briefing: Housing report, Hanukkah ceremony, local theater company plans for new home, and more

Welcome to Wednesday, everyone, where we don’t recognize half the topics that people in Palm Springs searched for on Google this year, but we’re telling you about them anyway. According to data from the search giant, we were the only place in the country where “crepes near me” was among the top trending searches, but “air quality near me” was actually on more people’s minds. TV shows you were curious about included “The Last of Us” and “The Golden Bachelor;” Musically, you sought information about Taylor Swift’s tour most, but also Doble P; And as far as sports go, the Canelo Álvarez vs. John Ryder boxing match was on your minds the most, but also Mexico vs. Japan baseball. 

🎶 Setting the mood:  “Say Yes To Heaven” by Lana Del Rey

---

LEADING OFF

🏡 Housing report reveals price, sales decreases

The November housing report, released last week, revealed that the median price for a home in the Coachella valley sits at $635,000, lower than the month before and down 1.6% compared to last year. 

• In Palm Springs, the median price of an average-size detached home in November was $1.25 million, up from $1.21 million last year.
  
  
• Sales have dropped since May and are currently 30.6% below average. The report attributes the decline to high interest rates and the market adjusting to the increased demand during the pandemic. Sales are expected to improve, but a full recovery is unlikely until mortgage rates reach around 5.5%.
  
  
• On Dec. 1, valley inventory stood at 2,260 units, that’s the highest since the start of the pandemic. Most of the increase is seasonal and caused by the higher number of new listings this time of year.
  
  
• Bottom line: That inventory is about 1,000 units fewer than what’s normal. With a seasonal increase in inventory expected over the next four months, it could reach 2,500.

🏡 Dezart Performs launches campaign for new theater

After 13 years at the Pearl McManus Theater in Palm Springs, Dezart Performs has unveiled a campaign for a new, larger venue in Cathedral City, with an ambitious fundraising goal of $2.2 million to transform a former retail space into a state-of-the-art theater.

• The new Dezart Playhouse, located in Canyon Plaza South, will offer a 4,400-square-foot space with versatile seating arrangements for different theatrical formats and events.
  
  
• Cathedral City Mayor Rita Lamb endorses the project, expecting it to add vibrancy and intensity to the community and to be ready for the 2025/2026 season.
  
  
• Details: Dezart Performs is seeking community contributions for the project, aiming to both enhance its creative capabilities and create a hub for other organizations and events. More information is available by contacting Gailya Brown at gailya.brown@dezartperforms.org. 

IN OTHER NEWS

⛪Thousands of locals participated in the annual 32-mile Our Lady of Guadalupe Pilgrimage from Palm Springs to Coachella on Tuesday.

🍿Jenna Ortega, the “Wednesday” actress with born and raised in the valley, will attend the Palm Springs International Film Festival for the premiere of “Miller Girl.”

📺 A new Apple TV+ period mini-series coming in March 2024 will have some familiar scenery. “Palm Royale,” which follows the main character as she attempts to reconstruct her identity, is set in 1960’s Palm Springs.

---

FEATURED EVENTS

Sustainability Subcommittee on Climate Action
5 p.m. | City Hall
During this month’s meeting, committee members will go over the climate change vulnerability assessment, shade structures, and more, according to the agenda.

Planning Commission
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
Commissioners will consider a cannabis dispensary owner’s request to build an addition and a review of a land use permit amendment for The Village. 

District 3 Community Meeting
5:30 p.m. | The Pavilion at Sunrise Park
Councilmember Ron deHarte will meet with neighbors to discuss topics important to District 3.

The British Film Invasion: “Chariots of Fire”
7 p.m. | Cultural Center
As a part of the cultural center’s ongoing showcase of award-winning British films “Chariots of Fire,” chronicles the true story of two British athletes in the 1924 Paris Olympics. ($12)

SAVE THE DATE

• Palm Springs Animal Shelter Tail-A-Thon on Thursday.
  
  
• Breakfast with Santa at the city’s pavilion on Dec. 16.
  
  
• Snowtopia at Palm Springs Air Museum starting Dec. 19.
  
  
• “Die Hard” at the Cultural Center on Dec. 24.
  
  
• Palm Springs International Film Festival Jan. 4 through 15.

---

AND FINALLY …

Tuesday evening, on the sixth day of Hanukkah, members of the Palm Springs Jewish community, city officials, and staff left City Hall with cookies, handfuls of gelt, and lifted spirits following a special menorah lighting ceremony in the lobby.

Driving the news: Rabbi Yankel Kreiman from Bikur Cholim, who first moved to the city with his wife Rochel 30 years ago, performed the ceremony was. 

• As he handed out gifts and words of wisdom, he noted that while a handful of people were on hand during the first ceremony a few years back, “It seems like the whole city is here tonight.” 

Why it matters: The lighting of the menorah in the City Hall lobby signified hope in dark times, Rabbi Kreiman said, adding, “When there’s dark things going on around us, Hanukkah gives us the answer. The way to get rid of the darkness is with light — the light of a candle.”