Report: New legal proceedings reveal details about claims councilmember lives outside district ⋆ The Palm Springs Post

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Palm Springs City Councilmember Christy Holstege claims an effort to investigate her residency is politically motivated. She is running again for the State Assembly against current State Assemblyman Greg Wallis.

Allegations that have come to light through recent legal proceedings, reported Thursday by The Desert Sun, show new details about why the Riverside County district attorney believes Palm Springs City Councilmember Christy Holstege does not reside within her district.

According to the article, District Attorney Mike Hestrin, in a document sent to the state attorney general this week, asserts that multiple witnesses informed his office that Holstege does not live in the home she lists as her official residence in City Council District 4.

The report states that surveillance conducted by an investigator over the summer allegedly shows Holstege’s family residing in District 3 instead, according to Hestrin’s claims.

The DA’s office has initiated a quo warranto action, a legal proceeding used to test a person’s right to hold public office. The move follows the office’s previous warning to Palm Springs officials that it would take legal action if the city did not remove Holstege from office and correct votes she participated in while her council seat was allegedly vacant.

Holstege, a Democrat, consistently denies living outside her district and characterizes the investigation as a politically motivated attack aimed at damaging her campaign for the State Assembly against current Republican Assemblyman Greg Wallis. The race is a rematch of one Holstege lost by 85 votes two years ago

“Upon reviewing the complaint, it’s clear why the District Attorney never presented evidence to the City Attorney — there is no meaningful evidence or legal arguments to speak of,” Holstege’s lawyer Richard R. Rios said in a statement to The Sun.

The legal document includes testimony from four witnesses, whose identities have been withheld by the DA. Some individuals reportedly faced harassment after complaining about Holstege’s residency.

One witness claimed that neighbors at both addresses had complained to the city about Holstege not living in her district, but no action was taken. Another witness, described as a former employee of Holstege’s husband, stated that the couple purchased the District 3 house in 2022 with intentions of turning it into a vacation rental.

Two other witnesses, described as neighbors to Holstege’s District 4 residence, provided conflicting accounts. One said she had not seen Holstege or her husband at their house since 2021, while another claimed to have seen a moving truck at the property prior to April of this year.

According to the newspaper, investigator Lauren Swirsky conducted surveillance on both of Holstege’s properties on three occasions over the summer. The investigator reported finding the District 4 house unoccupied while observing vehicles associated with Holstege’s family at the District 3 house.

The city of Palm Springs has so far declined to act on demands from the DA to correct what would be a vacated council seat if the allegations are true. A city spokesperson said Friday that officials will await the attorney general’s determination.

“Now that the Riverside County District Attorney has filed a quo warranto application with the California Attorney General, it is the Attorney General who now holds the authority on whether the case can proceed,” a statement from the city read. “…Until a determination is made, the City will refrain from taking further action or making decisions on this matter until it is appropriate to respond.”

Previously, the city maintained it could not move forward unless they can assess the validity of the DA’s claims. However, requests for evidence from Hestrin’s office have been denied to protect the ongoing investigation.

Holstege joined the council in 2017 and previously confirmed she purchased a home outside her district in 2022. She said at the time she had planned to move only if she won her Assembly race.

City records show Holstege’s District 4 residence was listed on Airbnb and rented for 13 nights in 2024. There are no records on file with the city of the home being rented in 2022 or 2023.