The ordinance makes it a violation to set up an encampment or sleep anywhere on public property in the city. However, it comes with several caveats for Palm Springs police officers when enforcing the rules.
While the facility is already operational, construction is ongoing. Workers are finishing 85 modular units and completing landscaping. It's expected to be fully open sometime in August or September.
"What we have done today is prove that we are going to help people who want help," said Councilmember Lisa Middleton. "This is truly a village. It takes all of us to make progress."
The $40 million facility, set to open fully later this year, will provide temporary housing and support services. It also offers police more options when helping the unhoused.
City staff had initially hoped to see at least a partial opening this month. But supply chain issues, including those faced by Southern California Edison, mean a summer 2024 opening date is more likely.
Rosenthal is best known for her advocacy for the homeless, emphasizing that Well in the Desert serves everyone as it provides essential services.
Some residents who attended a meeting Thursday evening spoke out against the approval of more money for the project, saying the city was breaking promises.
As a coordinated effort to provide outreach to people living in encampments begins, the Palm Springs City Council is expected to be asked to approve $5 million more for a planned navigation center.
Encampments have appeared in multiple areas throughout the city but are somewhat nomadic. One in the wash that abuts the Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort is believed to be the biggest in the Coachella Valley.
Volunteers fanned out across the county, including in Palm Springs, on January 25. Their task was to count how many people were living on the streets during one period of one day.Â
Officials hope to create 21,000 affordable housing units throughout the county over the next five years. But they also want to expand the stock of interim, bridge, and transitional housing.
Details such as location, cost, and funding are still to be determined, but as outlined Monday evening, the proposed emergency shelter would have 95 beds and serve only the unhoused residents of the city.
