Oct. 23 Daily Briefing: Vacation rental contracts, police seek dog-nappers, recall effort, and more

Welcome to Thursday! If you like a clean car and want to support your local first responders, today is your day (and so is tomorrow)! Desert Hand Car Wash, at 645 South Palm Canyon Dr., is donating 50% of each wash today and tomorrow to local police and firefighter organizations, and is throwing a party tonight to raise even more funds. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served courtesy of Lulu, and Siobhan will be performing at the Wet + Wild Party that starts at 5 p.m. Want in? Go here for tickets.

🎶 Setting the mood: “Hello Hello Hello” by Remi Wolf

LEADING OFF

Council votes to keep vacation rental limit the same for legacy properties

The Palm Springs City Council on Thursday voted to maintain the current annual contract limit for vacation rentals that were permitted before November 2022. The decision scraps a planned reduction that would have taken effect next year.

Driving the news: Legacy vacation rentals will continue operating under a 36-contract annual cap instead of dropping to 26 contracts as originally scheduled for Dec. 31, 2025. Rentals permitted after November 2022 remain capped at 26 contracts per year.

Why it matters: The decision protects revenue for established vacation rental owners while maintaining stricter limits on newer properties in a city grappling with housing availability and neighborhood impacts.

• Vacation rental owners argued the lower cap would reduce tourism, hurt local businesses and decrease transient occupancy tax revenue.

By the numbers: Even without the cap, the short-term rental market is cooling on its own. The city currently has 2,777 registered rentals, down from a peak of 2,927 in June 2024. 

In the weeds: Of the 2,570 properties that submitted contract summaries in 2024, the average number of contracts used was between nine and 12. Just 8.4% of homes used between 33 and 36 contracts.

• And out of the 229 properties permitted after November 2022, which are capped at 26 contracts, just 10% of permit holders submitted 25 or 26 contracts.

What they’re saying: “I actually think in terms of saturation, the legacy homes staying on and doing okay would help encourage some of the more Johnny-Come-Latelys who thought they were going to make a fortune, and realizing that they’re not, to exit the market,” Councilmember Jeffrey Bernstein said. 

What’s next: City staff presented additional vacation rental recommendations that could return to the council later.

Dive deeper with our complete story here.

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BRIEFLY

🗳️ Recall campaign targets entire Palm Springs City Council

• A grassroots campaign has launched a recall effort targeting all five members of the Palm Springs City Council, citing the body’s 2023 resolution supporting Israel — which was approved by only three current councilmembers — as well as the council’s silence on the war in Gaza and what organizers describe as inconsistent positions on human rights.
  
• The campaign, operating under the name “Recall Them All,” needs 150 registered voter proponents to file an official recall notice, with 23 secured so far. The campaign criticizes the council for passing the resolution without proper consultation and refusing to reconsider it despite community concerns. 
  
• Up next: Once filed, organizers have 160 days to collect between 542 and 1,627 signatures from registered voters to qualify the recall for a special election. 

Dive deeper with our full story

🐕 Pair suspected of taking two Yorkshire Terriers

• Palm Springs police are seeking information about two people suspected of taking Yorkshire Terriers named Maggie and Winnie on Oct. 17 around 10:30 a.m. in the 700 block of San Lorenzo Road after the dogs wandered from their home through an open door.
  
• Police described the suspects as a Hispanic man in his 30s or 40s wearing a white shirt reading “I NEED COFFEE,” black cap, black shorts and white shoes, with tattoos on his right leg and arm, carrying a purple backpack, and a white woman in her 30s with brown hair wearing a leopard-print dress and brown boots. The posted photos of the suspects on social media here.
  
• Details: The dogs are each valued at about $2,500 and are microchipped. Anyone with information can contact animal control at this email address or 760-323-8151, referencing Case# 2510P-4762.

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TODAY’S FEATURED EVENTS

Spanish For Beginners
9 a.m. | Mizell Center
Today is the start of a 7-session course teaching Spanish from scratch at the Mizell Center, taught by instructor Dixie. The whole series costs $100 to participate. 

Preschool and Baby Story Times
10 a.m. | Library at Rimrock Plaza
Children’s Librarian Nancy reads stories, sings songs, and shares early learning concepts. Preschool story time is from 10-11 AM, and Baby story time is at 11 AM – 12 PM each Thursday morning, unless otherwise noted.

Art Museum Free Admission
5 p.m. | Art Museum 
From 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., enjoy free admission to galleries and exhibitions, and explore the collection at your own pace. 

Wet + Wild Party
5 p.m. | Desert Hand Car Wash
Beer, wine, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres will be served courtesy of Lulu, and Siobhan will be performing. All proceeds benefit the Palm Springs Police and Fire Fighter associations. In addition, 50% of every car wash today and tomorrow will be added to the donations! ($50)

VillageFest
6 p.m. | Downtown Palm Springs  
Weather permitting, the street fair features art, entertainment, shopping, and food. 

The Inheritance Part II
7 p.m. | Cultural Center
Inspired by E.M. Forster’s “Howards End,” The Inheritance is an epic examination of three generations of gay men struggling with survival, healing, class divide, and what it means to call a place home. ($42)

View all events here

SAVE THE DATE

• Canyon View Estates Estate Sale on Saturday from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m.
  
• Reel Women’s Film Festival supporting Planned Parenthood on Sunday
  
• “Be a Hero For Kids” Halloween Bash on Sunday supporting Palm Springs Boys & Girls Club
  
• Rocky Horror Picture Show Sing Along at Quadz on Oct. 28
  
• Pride on the Page, an LGBTQ book festival, on Nov. 1
  
• Palm Springs Pride Nov. 6 through 9
  
• Palm Springs Pride 5K Run & Walk on Nov. 8
  
• West Side Story in Concert benefit for Dezart Performs Nov. 13-15
  
• Palm Springs Hospitality Golf Tournament on Nov. 14

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AND FINALLY …

DAP Health has unveiled a completely redesigned website at daphealth.org, the culmination of nearly a year’s work that transforms how tens of thousands of people access the nonprofit’s services each month.

Driving the news: The new site addresses longstanding pain points identified through patient surveys, interviews, and focus groups — from confusing navigation to poor mobile optimization — with features specifically requested by the community.

• Among the improvements: one-click Spanish translation, integrated MyChart access, a searchable provider directory by specialty and language, and full accessibility compliance with WCAG standards.

Why it matters: For a healthcare organization serving diverse communities, the website serves as the primary gateway to care, making ease of use and accessibility critical to fulfilling DAP Health’s mission of advancing health equity.

What changed: The redesign includes streamlined navigation, mobile optimization, expanded service hubs for mental health and diabetes care, and even terminology updates that reflect how patients actually search for services — like “Find a Doctor” instead of “Find a Provider.”

More info: Interested in exploring the changes firsthand? AP Health Chief Marketing Officer Steven Henke offers a video tour of the new site here.

Read the complete story online