July 18 Daily Briefing: Mental health center effort, Dream Hotel issues, why the city was extra fragrant, and more

TGIF! With commercial air conditioning issues in the news lately, we started thinking about the AC systems in our homes and what we can do to keep them trouble free. You might be wondering as well. For the answers, we turned to This Old House, which suggests you’ll want to do a couple of easy things to keep your AC from dying in the heat: Make sure you’re swapping out the filter every month or so, and keep that big metal unit outside (the condenser) clear of any leaves or junk so it can breathe. Then, to really keep it running well and avoid a surprise breakdown, have a pro come check it out once a year for a good tune-up. Stay cool, everyone!

🎶 Setting the mood: “I Have Confidence” by Julie Andrews

LEADING OFF

How one family’s mental health crisis sparked a mission to help others

Actress Mädchen Amick and her family are hoping to open Mental Health Recovery of Palm Springs, the first comprehensive mental health treatment center in Riverside County. The project stems from their decade-long journey navigating the mental health system after her son’s bipolar diagnosis.

Looking back: In 2011, Amick’s son Sylvester Alexis witnessed a fellow UC Irvine student’s death and was later diagnosed with Bipolar I Disorder. The family discovered significant gaps in mental health care coverage and treatment options, even with what Amick considered excellent insurance through the Screen Actors Guild.

• The experience led to years of out-of-pocket costs and inadequate care, with case managers telling the family “some people die” and they might lose their son.

By the numbers: If and when it becomes reality, the treatment center — which they hope to build at the mostly vacant Desert Sun building off Gene Autry Trail — will feature 150 beds for substance use disorder treatment, 32 beds for community residential treatment, eight beds for mental health urgent care, 40 beds for a sobering center, and 32 beds for a locked mental health rehabilitation center.

• The facility received $76.5 million in grant funding from the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Bond Act of 2024, covering most of the estimated $85 million total cost.

Dive deeper: Part of the facilities will include a Clubhouse International Model, a community-based approach to mental health recovery that emphasizes peer support and participation in the daily operations of the clubhouse. It’s a free membership, and the members run the clubhouse and make the decisions on what the community needs.

Looking back: The family founded the Don’t Mind Me Foundation in 2021 to help other families navigate similar situations. The organization provides crisis intervention scholarships and features a speaker series with mental health professionals and community voices.

What’s next: The clubhouse model is expected to open next year, with clinical services launching by the end of next year or early the following year. The family hopes to establish this as a pilot program for communities nationwide.

Learn more with Maggie Miles’s full story here.

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BRIEFLY

🏨 Dream Hotel project faces $80 million cost overrun, possible city legal review

The Dream Hotel development in Palm Springs faces an $80 million cost overrun that has prompted developer Lauri Kibby to request a suspension of city plan reviews while officials consider legal remedies. 

• Mayor Ron deHarte wrote in an email Wednesday that construction estimates now exceed the original $250 million budget, with the developer attributing increases to tariff fluctuations, global political upheaval and supply chain uncertainties.
  
• Kibby’s team plans to undertake a “value engineering” process to reduce project components and meet their original budget, with construction potentially restarting in the fourth quarter of this year after architectural adjustments are implemented.
  
• Next up: In the email, deHarte said city officials are reviewing the development agreement and considering contractual remedies, including requesting updated financing evidence and evaluating whether conditions can be met. The mayor also  said the city is considering a meeting with legal counsel to discuss next steps.

Dive deeper with our complete story

🏄‍♂️ Surf Club noise complaints to be addressed by Planning Commission

The Planning Commission is taking a closer look at the Palm Springs Surf Club next week to find out if the facility is adhering to rules related to excess noise.

• Since late 2023, the surf club has generated 66 noise complaints from approximately 16 individual residences from a nearby neighborhood and it’s been cited by code enforcement six times.
  
• Many of the noise complaints appear to stem from the wave machine itself, rather than from the waves or loud music. The club has been plagued with mechanical issues as the wave-making machines were overheating, prompting staff to keep the large roll-up doors open for better circulation, thus increasing noise levels.
  
• Bottom line: City staff has recommended the commission consider additional oversight measures. The Planning Commission may impose additional conditions, including requiring notification to neighborhood representatives about special events and additional noise-limiting measures. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.

Dive deeper with our complete story

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YOUR WEEKEND

MULTIPLE DAYS

• Escape The Festival 2025 at the DoubleTree Resort all weekend ($18)
  
• Palm Springs Power games Friday and Saturday, optional Sunday ($10)
  
• Falsettos at the Palm Canyon Theatre all weekend  ($41)

TODAY

• Game Night at Starbase 505 starting at 4 p.m.
  
• Broadway’s Bad Guys at the Cultural Center at 7:30 p.m. ($35)

SATURDAY

• Community Cleanup at Tahquitz Creek Foot Bridge at 7 a.m. 
  
• Indoor Palm Springs Certified Farmers’ Market at the Palm Springs Pavilion starting at 8 a.m.
  
• Trail Less Traveled at the Long Valley Ranger Station at 8:45 a.m. 
  
• “Serenity” Sci-Fi Summer screening at the Camelot Theatre at 6 p.m. ($14)
  
• “Moana” Dive-In movie at the Palm Springs Swim Center at 7 p.m.
  
• Country Western Dancing at Step by Step Saturday at 7 p.m. ($5)

SUNDAY

• “The Mavericks” Musical Matinee at the Cultural Center at 3 p.m.  ($14)
  
• Sunday Stomp at Reforma Palm Springs starting at 6 p.m. ($5)

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AND FINALLY …

If you missed the burst of color and creativity that bloomed in Palm Springs this past week, the American Institute of Floral Designers brought thousands of stunning arrangements—and plenty of community spirit—to town during their annual conference.

Driving the news: The Palm Springs Convention Center hosted the AIFD Symposium from Saturday through Tuesday, and floral designers spread “joy, color, and kindness” throughout the community while attending their professional conference.

Community connection: Volunteers and designers teamed up in hands-on seminars to create hundreds of fresh bouquets, all with the goal of giving back to Palm Springs residents.

• Thousands of floral arrangements created during the event were repurposed and delivered to local senior centers.
  
• A public event Monday at the Marilyn Monroe statue also brought the community together as free bouquets created by volunteers were handed out alongside a special public floral installation.