March 18 Daily Briefing: Tenant help, appeal rejected, a plea for trees, and more

Welcome to Tuesday, folks, where if we didn’t have enough to worry about these days, there’s this: Heat exposure, particularly the type found in desert cities like ours, can alter gene behavior, accelerating aging at the molecular level and potentially harming long-term health, according to new research in Science Advances. The impact is “similar to the effect of smoking and drinking,” according to one USC gerontologist. As heat risks grow, the US population is aging. And older populations deal with heat less adeptly than younger people. That’s just some food for thought on a relatively mild (although a bit windy) day.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Favorite Kind of People” by Jaco Jaco

LEADING OFF

City hosting tenant rights workshops to educate low-income residents

Palm Springs is partnering with Riverside Legal Aid to offer workshops on tenant rights, targeting low-income residents, including seniors on fixed incomes. The sessions cover topics such as safe housing, eviction defense, and illegal rent increases.

Driving the news: Rising rents and stagnant wages have created a challenging housing environment in Palm Springs, with 38% of housing occupied by renters. 

By the numbers: According to data from Zillow, rent in the city increased by 65% in five years, while wages haven’t kept pace. About 30% of renting households spend more than half their income on rent.

Why it matters: The workshops aim to help vulnerable residents understand their rights and protections under California law and local ordinances, including unlawful rent increases and substandard living conditions.

• In addition to state laws, the city has a Rent Stabilization Ordinance specific to rent increase limitations and deposits. 

Dive deeper: The city said it’s aware of issues, including landlords making tenants pay for utilities that were previously included in rent, effectively raising the amount paid by the tenant higher than what would be legal if it were a rent increase.

But still: Compared to other cities in the county, the city’s public information officer, Kitty Alvarado, said Palm Springs does not appear to suffer from the problem of “slumlords,” landlords who repeatedly break the laws around housing.

• However, “this does not mean that there are not landlords in Palm Springs who fail to respect the rights of their tenants and their legal obligations as landlords,” Alvarado said.

Details: Workshops are held regularly online and in-person throughout the city. The next workshop is on Wednesday, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Palm Springs Public Library.

Read our complete story online

BRIEFLY

🏢 Committee rejects property expansion appeal

The Palm Springs Architectural Review Committee on Monday unanimously denied an appeal challenging planning conditions for a South Palm Canyon Drive property expansion. The appeal contested conditions imposed by Planning Director Christopher Hadwin regarding a proposed 715-square-foot addition at 1100 South Palm Canyon Drive.

• “We have spent many months trying to work with the applicant and their attorneys to try and reach a resolution,” Hadwin told committee members. “We’ve not been able to find one.”
  
• The disputed property features a legal non-conforming shade structure that currently encroaches into the public right-of-way. Originally built as a gas station in the 1940s, with the canopy added in 1959, the modification triggered several city code requirements including parking ordinances, trash enclosure requirements, and encroachment regulations.
  
• Up next: Neither the appellant nor representatives appeared at the meeting despite being given the opportunity to address the committee. The decision is final unless the appellant appeals to the City Council, which city staff indicated they expect.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Desert X
The fifth edition of Desert X, the recurring site-specific, international art exhibition is open now through May 11. Find the map of installations on the Desert X website.

Queer Colon Care Collective
5 p.m. | Virtual
This support group is open to LGBTQ+ colorectal cancer patients, survivors, or caregivers. Organizers will offer resources and a sense of community in a safe place to share experiences. 

Melba Miller’s Jazz Oasis
5:30 p.m. | Cultural Center
Join songstress Melba Miller and special guests for an evening dedicated to serious listeners and lovers of Jazz. ($22)

Sustainability Commission
5:30 p.m. | City Hall
The Commission reviews and makes recommendations to the City Council on issues relating to energy and natural resources conservation, including water conservation, air pollution, waste management and recycling. 

Political Cartoons in America from Ben Franklin to Donald Trump
6 p.m.| Palm Springs Public Library
In this free lecture, award-winning political cartoonist, Mike Thompson traces the evolution of political cartoons from America’s colonial past to the present day.

Movies in the Park: “Hook”
7 p.m. | Downtown Park
Enjoy a free outdoor film series at the city’s Downtown Park. Keep in mind that extreme weather or rain may force rescheduling of some events and that start times will vary depending on what time the sun goes down. Check city sources to make sure the event is still on!

See all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• Tenant Rights Workshop at the Palm Springs Public Library on Wednesday.
  
• CVAG Transportation Public Meeting online on Thursday.
  
• Palm Springs Drone Fest at Palm Springs High School starting Friday. ($25)
  
• ONE-PS Picnic and Community Expo on Saturday.
  
• Palm Springs 70mm Film Fest at the Cultural Center starting Saturday. ($18)
  
• Rescheduled: AbbaFab Rock the Park Concert at the Downtown Park on March 26.
  
• Palm Springs Woman’s Club Annual Scholarship Event Dinner at Palm Springs Surf Club on March 26. ($125)
  
• Free Shredding Event at the Palm Springs Convention Center on April 5.
  
• Opera in the Park at Sunrise Park on April 6.
  
• World Art Day at Downtown Park on April 12.
  
• PS Gay Men’s Chorus “Disney Pride In Concert“ starting April 24. ($35)

Submit your event here

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AND FINALLY …

We’ve written before about issues surrounding maintenance of palm trees – telling you about times their skirts have collapsed from not being trimmed, and about how cutting their fronds at certain times of year is harmful to birds. But what about trimming other tress? For that, we’ll share some thoughts from a reader.

Driving the news: Throughout the Coachella Valley, landscape maintenance workers are currently performing pruning known as “topping” on shade trees. But the practice has its issues, writes Ken Lyon:

• Tree topping removes substantial portions of the canopy, creating multiple large wounds that invite disease, fungus and insect infestations.
• The practice leads to weak branch regrowth that’s more susceptible to wind damage. It can also initiate a costly cycle of unnecessary and repeated pruning.

Why it matters: As our desert continues to experience prolonged periods of extreme temperatures, healthy trees with full, natural canopies are more critical than ever for providing shade and cooling our environment.

• Topping also removes leaves needed for photosynthesis, stressing trees and potentially leading to their decline.

The rules: Several local regulations discourage or prohibit the practice:

• Palm Springs’ Zoning Code Section 93.19.00 states plant materials “shall be retained in their natural shape, unless otherwise noted.”
• Elsewhere in the valley, both the Coachella Valley Water District’s “Lush & Efficient” landscape guide and Palm Desert’s Landscape Maintenance Guide discourage topping.

The bottom line: “This is the topic that we as a community cannot do enough to educate and emphasize to property owners, HOA’s and their management companies the damaging effect of this unnecessary practice,” Lyon wrote.