June 18 Daily Briefing: Vacation rental education, thanking boards and commissions, and more

Happy Wednesday, everyone. The Post has never had a paywall and we never plan to implement one. The decision was easy to make, given the fact that although many corporate news outlets report that their digital subscriptions are increasing, the revenue they generate is often too low to offset declining ad income, high acquisition costs, and the collapse of print. According to data in the 2025 Digital News Report released this week, it seems that digital subscriptions have hit a ceiling. Add that to the fact traditional news media is struggling to connect with much of the public, suffering a decline in engagement and low trust, and you’ll understand the disheartening news that social media is now Americans’ top news source. Now more than ever we’re grateful that many of you put your trust in this little effort of ours. Thank you!

🎶 Setting the mood:  “Don’t Stop Me Now” by Queen

LEADING OFF

Board backs education programs, property management rules for vacation rentals

The Palm Springs Administrative Appeals Board voted unanimously Monday to recommend comprehensive updates to the city’s vacation rental ordinance. The proposed changes would establish new educational programs, registration requirements for property management companies, and incentives for compliant property owners.

Driving the news: The recommendations emerged from a subcommittee review of recent cases involving out-of-town property owners who had assigned responsibility for licensing and management of their vacation rentals to property management companies.

What’s next: The City Council will review the recommendations and may adopt them as presented, modify them, or reject them entirely.

The details: Under the proposals, escrow and title companies would be required to provide new property buyers with educational documents explaining rental requirements. Property management companies handling vacation rentals would need to register with the city and obtain copies of valid vacation rental certificates before advertising properties.

• Companies advertising unlicensed units would face fines of $2,500 for the first violation, $5,000 for the second, and $10,000 for subsequent violations.

By the numbers: Over a two-year period, only 0.5% of appeal cases heard by the board were overturned.

The incentive: Property owners with no citations in 2025 could maintain the current limit of 36 contracts per year, while others would see their limit reduced to 26 contracts starting in 2026.

Why it matters: Board Member Lauren Hein noted that many property owners appear before the appeals board because they were unaware of the city’s requirements. “Nobody likes the surprise,” she said.

Dive deeper with our full story

BRIEFLY

🎬 ShortFest announces jury, $25,000 in prizes

The 31st annual Palm Springs International ShortFest will award $25,000 in cash prizes including five Academy Award qualifying honors when it takes place June 24-30 at the Festival Theaters. Award winners will be announced Sunday, June 29 at the Awards Brunch.

• Jury members include Caroline Lindy, director of “Your Monster,” Carolina Groppa, producer of “Honk For Jesus, Save Your Soul,” and Cooper Raiff, director of “Cha Cha Real Smooth.” Peter Debruge, chief film critic for Variety, will judge alongside agent Julien Levesque of The Gersh Agency and filmmaker Karsten Runquist.
  
• The festival will present awards across 12 categories including Best Animated Short, Best Documentary Short, Best Live-Action Short Over 15 Minutes, Best International Short, Best Comedy Short, Best LGBTQ+ Short, and multiple student categories. Browse all films here.
  
• But wait: The ShortFest Forum runs June 27 through 29 at the Renaissance Hotel Palm Springs, featuring panels on transitioning from shorts to features and one-on-one mentoring sessions with industry executives.

Dive deeper with our complete story

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Palm Springs United Fundraiser
All Day | Virtual
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce have partnered, along with KESQ, in an effort to support the businesses that have been impacted by the tragic bombing that took place in Palm Springs on May 17. The tribe will match all funds — dollar-for-dollar up to $100,0000 — collected during this virtual event.

PSUSD Job Fair
9 a.m. | Palm Springs Unified School District Office
PSUSD will be hosting a job fair at the administrative offices today. The fair is focused on “classified”  positions within the district, including: security, custodial, clerical, and more. Register here.

Palm Springs Airport Commission
4 p.m. | Airport Conference Room
This City Council-appointed board advises the city on policy and implements any policy changes. They typically meet on the third Wednesday of each month.

Palm Springs Power Baseball
7 p.m. | Palm Springs Stadium
Your Palm Springs Power will take on the Colton Nighthawks tonight. Wednesday is $5 margaritas night. ($10)

See all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• Juneteenth Freedom Weekend from Thursday through Saturday. 
  
• Palm Springs AI & Creativity Expo on June 23 at the convention center.
  
• Palm Springs International ShortFest June 24 through 30
  
• Swim Center Community Meeting on June 26 at 5 p.m.
  
• 2025 All American 4th of July Weekend July 3-5 in Palm Springs.

Submit your event here

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AND FINALLY …

Palm Springs elected officials, city staff, and department heads took time Tuesday night to shine a spotlight on the dozens of volunteers who give their time and expertise to serve on the city’s various boards and commissions, hosting the annual joint meeting where these civic-minded residents report on their year’s work.

Driving the news: The evening began with the swearing-in of eight newly appointed and reappointed board members, followed by presentations from 11 different boards and commissions showcasing everything from record-breaking airport passenger numbers to new playground openings and public art initiatives.

Zoom in: Highlights included the Airport Commission’s report of serving 3.2 million passengers while generating $2.5 billion in local economic impact, the Planning Commission’s approval of 707 new housing units to meet state requirements, and the Measure J oversight commission’s review of 51 community project applications seeking more than $18 million in funding.

Why it matters: These volunteer positions often involve months of reviewing applications, attending evening meetings, and wrestling with complex policy issues — all without compensation beyond the satisfaction of contributing to their community’s future.

What they’re saying: “I’ve seen so many great ideas emerge from boards and commissions, and we get around these resource and capacity issues by some creative thinking,” Councilmember David Ready said following the presentations. “If you have good ideas that maybe don’t move right away, don’t give up, because staff can be creative to help you succeed.”

Dive deeper with our complete story