City seeks resident input on housing issues amid soaring rents, federal funding uncertainty

In a city where rent has gone up about 65% in five years, and wages have not kept up with the cost of living expenses, Palm Springs officials are turning their attention toward affordable housing and fair housing – and they want to hear from residents. 

The city is requesting input on two surveys – one dealing with community needs and the other focused on fair housing. Through the surveys, city staff hope to gauge residents’ opinions on the level of need for services such as rental housing for large families, housing for people with disabilities, infrastructure needs like street lighting and sidewalk improvements, and community facilities like child care and senior centers.

The surveys and a pair of community meetings on Feb. 10 will be followed by staff work that is coming at a crucial time. 

According to data supplied by Zillow, from December 2019 to December 2024, the average rent in Palm Springs went from $1,410 to $2,337. In the meantime, federal funding for many projects is in doubt in the wake of the new administration’s flurry of often confusing executive orders. 

The responses to the community needs survey and input at the public meetings will help the city complete a new five-year Consolidate Plan, or ConPlan – a document mandated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual entitlement funds eligibility.

Palm Springs receives approximately $448,981 annually in CDBG funds, totaling around $2.24 million over five years.

“The CDBG program is a cornerstone of Palm Springs’ community development efforts,” Palm Springs Public Information Officer Kitty Alvarado explained this week. “It provides essential funding to support affordable housing, infrastructure improvements, and public services.”

Past CDBG-funded initiatives include affordable housing rehabilitation, fair housing services, public infrastructure projects, and community support programs. 

However, federal funding for all sorts of projects, including CDBG grants, is currently in doubt. Just this week, the Trump Administration sought to freeze federal funding on many grants and loan programs, only to have the orders blocked by a judge. The memo that ordered the freeze was rescinded on Wednesday, causing additional confusion.

Given that federal funding policies can and do often change, Alvarado said the city has positioned itself to continue vital community programs regardless of potential adjustments.

“If CDBG funding were reduced, Palm Springs would adapt by focusing on key initiatives like affordable housing rehabilitation, fair housing programs, and critical infrastructure improvements,” she said. 

Previous ConPlans have helped the city address concerns by increasing fair housing education for landlords and tenants, expanding work with nonprofits to offer housing support services, and continuing investment in affordable housing.

The second survey is designed to gather responses from residents about their experiences confronting issues with fair housing, including housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin. The city assures respondents that the survey is confidential.

Palm Springs has implemented several measures to protect renters and promote fair housing. The city has a rent stabilization ordinance in place and is launching a rent registry in July that will serve both landlords and residents. The Tenant Based Rental Assistance program also serves as an eviction prevention measure. Last week, the City Council approved an additional $1 million for the program.

To provide further support, Palm Springs has contracted Riverside Legal Aid to assist residents with housing-related issues. The city is also monitoring for potential price gouging in the wake of recent Los Angeles fires, although no incidents have been reported here yet.

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Learn more: Links to both surveys, in English and Spanish, can be found on the city’s website here. The deadline to complete the surveys is Feb. 10, and residents can expect to learn the results on April 23 of this year.

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