On Nov. 5, Palm Springs voters in District 4 will elect a new City Council representative among five candidates, replacing outgoing councilmember Christy Holstege.
The candidates are slated to participate in a candidates’ forum, held by ONE-PS, at 1 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 5, at the Demuth Park Community Center, at 3601 E. Mesquite Road.
Ernest Ceceña is a compliance manager for a mortgage firm. He lives in the Tahquitz Creek Golf Neighborhood and has chaired the neighborhood organization for three years.
Joe Jackson chairs the neighborhood organization in Los Compadres and is a former chairman of the city’s Sustainability Commission. He credits his management expertise to 30 years of running a large church in Minneapolis.
Anna Nevenic, a registered nurse, is a community advocate who focuses on issues of public health and health care. She lives in the Tahquitz Creek Golf Neighborhood.
David Rios is a real estate agent and interior designer. He is a member of organizations including the Desert Business Association and the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce.
Naomi Soto is board chair of Planned Parenthood of the Pacific Southwest. A former chair of the city’s Measure J Oversight Commission, Soto lives in the Sonora Sunrise neighborhood.
District 4 is located on the southeast side of the city. It includes the neighborhoods of Araby Cove, Araby Commons, Los Compadres, Melody Ranch, Rimrock, Sonora Sunrise and Tahquitz Creek Golf.
The Independent recently asked each of the five candidates the same slate of six questions about issues that face District 4 and greater Palm Springs. The candidates’ answers, presented here in alphabetical order, have been edited only for clarity and style.
Ernest Ceceña
What experience would you bring to the Palm Springs City Council? What sets you apart from the other candidates?
I spent 30 years in the mortgage-banking industry in a financial oversight capacity. Through those 30 years, (I was an) analyst, auditor (and) accountant. I currently serve as a compliance manager. You’re probably familiar with the ongoing investigation into Queer Works, where $700,000 of the city’s community money has become missing. The city manager will be presenting to the City Council … for stricter oversight. It’s been part of the strategy plan (for) good governance for some time now, but it looks like it needs to be beefed up a little bit. I fully support the ideas the city manager will be bringing. Those oversight skills are something I bring naturally to the City Council.
I chair my neighborhood (organization). Palm Springs is broken out into 52 different, organized neighborhoods. I chair (the Tahquitz Creek Golf) neighborhood and represent about roughly 900 people here in Palm Springs. So, with that, I’ve worked with the community. I understand their concerns. I’ve had to fight for issues that they felt were important, and that (involve) working with City Council, working with city staff and relaying that message back to the communities.
I love my community. I like to work with them. I have a track record, and I think I do it well. I’m on my second two-year term now, and I’ve brought a lot of positive results to the neighborhood, really ensuring my neighbors’ quality of life. I’m looking to expand that by now representing a district, and a city.
What are the top two issues confronting all Palm Springs residents, including District 4 constituents?
I could break that into a couple of different pieces. I’ve been asked: What are my goals? What are the city’s goals? And then, what are the big issues for this election? Out of all of those, let’s go city—let’s go big. There are plenty of big items that we’re all familiar with: affordable housing that’s needed, working to improve homelessness. These are big issues, and so I would be grateful to be on a team to bring benefits to improve in these areas. There’s an entire team dedicated to working together—city staff, other City Council members, attorney, (city) manager; we’re all going to do our part there.
(One of the) issues here in District 4, specifically, is the Prescott Preserve. It’s the old Mesquite Golf Course that was purchased to be a desert preserve. Here we are, in year two, but due to a litigation issue, everything’s been stalled up until this point. That issue, over the last two years, has affected hundreds if not thousands of actual residents here. Both sides are hurting. There’s a community that’s scared; they’re frustrated. There are the owners of the property who are frustrated. They can’t move forward with their plans, and everything’s at a standstill. These are big, community issues that sometimes don’t get the attention that they need.
It comes down to the owners of the property wanting to move forward, (with) submitting applications for grants to get the money to implement their plans. But there is a litigation piece from the surrounding housing unit, the HOA, that initiated a litigation because of a lease agreement they had with the golf course. So, what’s happening is everybody’s at a standstill; nobody’s talking, and it’s the community that’s hurting.
Section 14 is a very tough, very touchy conversation. There are still a lot of questions. I’m glad that the City Council has reached out with a contractor to do the research. I mean, we are talking about 60-plus years ago. There are a lot of things that have been lost, (and) a lot that still needs to be discovered. The city’s done a good job at outlining reports of the conditions of Section 14, and the complaints on Section 14 going all the way back to the late 1930s. There’s a lot of documentation there. I’m for reparations, but I have a lot of questions on how that money would be spent. How are people vetted who are going to be receiving this money, when we’re talking about over 60 years ago? That’s more the auditor in my mind, just trying to ask these questions and understand exactly how this is going to work.
It’s also understanding that Palm Springs was not the only (entity) that played a role in Section 14. There were other players that were involved, (like) Riverside County (and) the tribe. But as of right now, it’s really only Palm Springs that’s being asked for a settlement. That’s another outstanding question. Section 14, it’s not in District 4, but it is definitely one of the issues that everybody is interested in.
With the Grants Pass decision, homelessness is essentially criminalized. What can the city do to better address homelessness?
I think the city is moving in a very good direction to address homelessness. The opening of the Navigation Center was huge. I was there with the opening. It was moving to see that this kind of support is now going to be provided to those who are requesting it, who are needing it (and) willing to accept it. I believe that wraparound services work. I’m eager to see if those services come into play. I’m also eager to see results, data, turnaround times, what’s working, and what’s not. It’s from there that we’re going to be able to make these small adjustments to continue to make progress with homelessness.
What changes, if any, should the city make to its short term/vacation rentals policy?
I know that the last adjustments to the ordinance had been a while. I think it was because (the policies) had not been visited in such a long time, (and) there was such a strong reaction from the community. This goes back to, again, oversight, monitoring progress, setting milestones and understanding what’s working and what’s not. So, they’ve made some changes. Now, are they working? I’d like to see it revisited so that we can continue to adjust it, to make improvements. I know a lot of people are not happy with the contract cap, even with those who are grandfathered in. I think it goes from 36 to 24 (rental contracts per year). I know a lot of people are not happy with that cap, but they cannot have more than that many contracts within a year. It’s understanding why that was changed. Do we see any improvement with that cap change? Is there a benefit? Can it be revisited? I want to say that it was at 36 (before); they changed it to 24. Anybody who was already at 36 was grandfathered in for (a set amount of) years, and then they, too, would have to come down to the 24. Anybody new submitting for a permit for an Airbnb would only be able to do 24. The community seems to have an issue with that cap on the contracts. (Editor’s note: The maximum number of rental contracts per year was lowered from 36 to 26; the change goes into effect on Jan. 1, 2026, for people who had permits when the change was made.)
Housing in Palm Springs is too expensive for many current and prospective residents—including a lot of service-industry workers. What steps should the city take to address the issue?
I’ve had a presentation with one of the City Council members, about a working force housing program. It was presented to me at one of the ONE-PS meetings where the 52 neighborhoods come together. And I thought it was a brilliant idea, a perfect way of thinking outside of the box, ensuring that service, working-force people can afford to live here in the city, at a high level. We have so many single-family homes here that sit empty for a good portion of the time. We’re not talking Airbnb; we are talking about single family homes where they’re not rented and do sit empty, but working with them, the city reaching out to them, the city ensuring them these are city employees. These are families who want to be close to their work and seeing how we can kick this off. I know right now they’re very much at the beginning stages of the conversation, but I thought it was a brilliant way of just thinking outside of a box.
What is your ideal night out in Palm Springs? Where are you going, and what are you doing?
My husband and I stay in and do a lot of cooking. We like to monitor our cooking, so going out for dinner is a big treat for us. We don’t experiment much; when we find a restaurant we really like, we want to ensure we’re going back, and we’re having a good meal. Right now, our favorite restaurant is Eight4Nine. It’s beautiful; we love the food and the service. So, going out for an early dinner at Eight4Nine, and then maybe heading to Arenas (Road) to meet up with some friends for a few drinks to catch up. It’s ideal, especially right now. Running a campaign, I don’t always have time to do dates.
Joe Jackson
What experience would you bring to the Palm Springs City Council? What sets you apart from the other candidates?
My primary city involvement was 6 1/2 years on the Sustainability Commission, where I also served three years as chair. In addition to that, within (my) first year of moving to Palm Springs, I was recruited to be the volunteer coordinator for the city’s 75th anniversary celebration, back in 2012 and 2013. In that role, I met hundreds of city residents. My most recent volunteer role in the city was with my Los Compadres Neighborhood organization, as a member and chair of that advisory board. So, those are my primary city involvements. Beyond the city right now, I’m also on the board of a small water company up in San Bernardino County.
Interestingly enough, before moving to Palm Springs at the end of 2011, I did spend 24 years in Minnesota, and so I do have friends who know (vice presidential candidate) Coach (Tim) Waltz. My work life was primarily in nonprofits, as an educator and a nonprofit administrator. I ended my career as an administrator doing financial oversight, personnel management and facility operations for a very large United Methodist Church in Minneapolis. It was a 3,000-member church with a 100-year-old building, so it was a lot to manage, and a wonderfully progressive congregation.
What are the top two issues confronting all Palm Springs residents, including District 4 constituents?
I’ll give you three. What I hear from both the families and retirees in District 4 is they want to live in a safe place. What I hear as I door-knock and listen to people in their living rooms is, they want a safe place. They want to see more police officers on the street. They want to feel, when they make a phone call, that police would respond in an even more timely way.
Secondly, we often talk a lot about affordable housing, and there’s a specific formula about what qualifies as affordable, and that’s important. But I think equally important is what is called workforce housing, and that’s housing for schoolteachers and hospital employees and bank managers, people who work full time and make a good wage, but they can’t afford the $1.1 million median-price-range house in Palm Springs. We need workforce housing that is affordable to those mid-level earners.
Lastly, we need more support for small businesses in Palm Springs. When I’ve talked to small business owners and managers, it’s sad, and it’s an unfortunate thing, but Palm Springs as a city doesn’t have the best reputation as being business-friendly. I want to help improve that. We’ve made some great steps with a new economic development officer and with a liaison to businesses, creating business neighborhoods around the city. We’ve made a start, but we need to do more to untangle red tape related to licensing and advertising and permitting. We end up hassling small businesses that we really want to get open and flourishing.
With the Grants Pass decision, homelessness is essentially criminalized. What can the city do to better address homelessness?
Of course, you are aware of the Navigation Center and the asset (it) is for the city of Palm Springs. It provides emergency housing. It is also going to provide longer-term housing, but specifically with what we call wraparound services, the social services that help address the issues that got people in the housing emergency in the first place. So, that’s going to make a huge difference. Now, with the new Supreme Court determination, and some directions that have come from the governor, and, in fact, (with) new regulations passed by the City Council, our police department does have more enforcement tools. We really (don’t) have a huge number of chronic, unhoused persons—I should say, not a huge number. Our police department knows most of these people personally, from their previous engagement in the first program, what was called Operation Relentless Sun, in which the police really engaged every homeless person to find out if they had a criminal background, if they had resources with family they could help them access, if they wanted assistance (or) if they needed to be in rehab. We have a police department that operates not like any other city. We’re really addressing the homeless issue on a one-on-one basis. I really want to give kudos to the department for the firm and yet sensitive way that (homeless individuals) are taken care of.
What changes, if any, should the city make to its short-term/vacation rentals policies?
At this point, I am pretty happy with the regulations that the city passed and the enforcement the city is doing with short-term rentals. The latest issue that emerged was Pacaso, some people call that fractional ownership of homes. Pacaso is a specific company that started to do business in Palm Springs, and the city issued a cease and desist, because they didn’t have the appropriate licensing. Their business model didn’t fall under any category that was clear for the city. But subsequently, after a couple of years of negotiation, we are allowing some fractional ownership. And what that means is that this company will sell a home, and it has to be a higher priced home. There’s a specific formula—I think (approximately) 2 1/2 times the median price range in that neighborhood. It isn’t a home that would be workforce housing. It’s more of an exclusive home, but they sell it to eight different owners under a shared ownership model. What the City Council did was to approve that model of fractional ownership, but they placed it in the same category as short-term rentals. And so, what they’re saying is that there is a percentage cap. There can be no more than 20% of the single-family homes, which are the only ones that really can be short term rentals, in each neighborhood. And if there is a fractional ownership home, it adds to that count as a short-term rental. So, while I want to preserve our neighborhoods for our neighbors, this is not going to make a difference. One estimate is that in the next four years, there wouldn’t be more than 30 of these across the entire city, out of 30,000 housing units in Palm Springs. So, it’s an extraordinarily small blip, and since we’re capping the short-term rentals in each neighborhood, I am comfortable keeping the fractional ownership under that umbrella. All that said, I’m open to discussing the issues that residents and business (owners) want the council to address. I’m not one to shut down conversation. If there are a couple of council members, or myself and one of the council members, wants something on the agenda, I think we ought to talk about it.
Housing in Palm Springs is too expensive for many current and prospective residents—including a lot of service-industry workers. What steps should the city take to address the issue?
I think there are three things that we can do right now. Palm Springs is in the middle of looking at their zoning policy, and we need to make sure that there are no policies in zoning or permitting or building regulations that would prohibit or hinder the construction of townhomes, denser condominiums and denser housing, which often can become more affordable. So, we’ve got to look at policy changes at the city level that would hinder additional housing and change those and create policies that would promote that.
Secondly, we need to look at the land that’s available. Oftentimes, people are saying, “Well, you need a three- or five- or eight-acre plot to build workforce housing or affordable housing.” We can put workforce housing on smaller sections and smaller properties. There’s a spot in District 4 that has an apartment building next to it, a condo building across the street, a business on the other side and a main street on the other side. It’s maybe a three-to-four-acre plot, and the city owns it and has no plans for it. My main point is, we’ve got to look for land. We’ve got to look for available land, even smaller plots of land, and perhaps put a half dozen of those together. Approach a developer and say, “Let’s come up with townhomes or condos or apartments that can fit on three-to-five-acre plots, and we identify several of those and begin to develop them.” So, it’s policy; it’s land available, and we can also approach the tribe and talk to them about tribal land that is available as well. And then finally, there probably needs to be some financial incentives to developers. One of the things that we’ve already done is, (a small percentage) of our transient occupancy tax, the hotel tax, is going into a housing fund. We need to look at other ways that don’t impact the city budget, but ways that we can slice off some funds to incentivize developers to build. Because we do have a housing goal that has been assigned to the city of Palm Springs, the number of units that we need to increase over the next certain number of years. I think those three things—policy changes, land available and financial incentives—can help get us there.
What is your ideal night out in Palm Springs? Where are you going, and what are you doing?
My ideal night out would be a great dinner at a restaurant in Palm Springs—dinner with friends and then a walk down Palm Canyon Drive, window-shopping. And let me add: I prefer to do that when the temperatures are 85 and below.
Anna Nevenic
What experience would you bring to the Palm Springs City Council? What sets you apart from the other candidates?
I am very knowledgeable about the issues because I am observing every aspect of the needs in the community. I go to many conferences (for) nonprofits or organizations who are addressing either homelessness or health-care issues. Being a registered nurse, I have seen certain needs that are very important, and I’m interested in increasing the revenue (to address these issues). I want to have more transparency, because there could be lots of waste with the present City Council. Many people I talk (with) are not happy, because they’re not transparent. And as I have said, there are resources that are being wasted unnecessarily that could be used to improve the infrastructure and do other things that we need.
I’m a compassionate nurse who sees problems and, you know, mental illness and depression among young people. I like to (be) involved, to work together with all these sectors, you know, the school system, the nonprofits, on how to be efficient in preventing the problems with our youth. So, it’s a village. It takes a village. We have to really cooperate and work together. This is why I believe that I will be the best-equipped to do that, because with one person, in one city alone, there are many issues that are connected. You know, it’s not just that it’s affecting Palm Springs itself. So infrastructure has to be improved and, as I say, use these savings by being more frugal.
What are the top two issues confronting all Palm Springs residents, including District 4 constituents?
For me, (while) listening and getting signatures and so on, homelessness was something that everybody is very much concerned about. They smell the urine wherever they go, and you know, they have hearts; they identify with the problems. And public safety, that is very important to them, because there is crime on the rise, and concerns about traffic congestion which can be addressed as well. (These) issues affect everybody—the traffic congestion and improving infrastructure to improve the road conditions and potholes and all these things. (Editor’s note: Crime has actually decreased slightly in the city of Palm Springs.)
So homelessness is very important for almost every resident. Being a nurse, I understand that by not addressing this issue properly, the cost is very high. People do not understand how costly it is. It would be cheaper to help people than to do what we are doing. First of all, we have more police who, instead of providing public safety, they are arresting and ticketing homeless people. They end up in emergency rooms. There’s a shortage of nurses, and they’re leaving in droves because it is very, very hard to be a nurse when you have people coming in who are all smelly and full of fecal material. And nobody understands that the hospitals are reimbursed with taxpayer (money). There is nothing free, you know, but most people don’t connect the dots.
Secondly, I talk to homeless people. When I see somebody who is ready to pass out, I grab water; I call emergency, the fire department, 911. I have many times; I have prevented many of these issues. I ask them: “Where did they get the needles?” There is no needle exchange program (in) this area at all, and it’s how you transmit diseases. It is very shocking for me, being a nurse, so I’m really working and paying attention. Because homelessness is the No. 1 issue for me. Public safety, it’s very important. (Editor’s note: There is a needle-exchange/harm-reduction program in Palm Springs.)
And typically, they say money should be used, not wasted. But $350,000 for fighting against moving the Marilyn (statue)? I was in the movement that it should be moved. That was so disgraceful, you know, for a wonderful woman who committed suicide (because she was) being mistreated like a sex object. We were very much against it, and they fought it. In the end, they gave up and paid $350,000 for the lawyer. (It’s) the same thing with Section 14. As opposed to settling it, (the City Council) is paying more and more to the lawyers, and in the end, it will be settled. But why (spend) so much money, as opposed to sitting down and deciding on the amount? You already know what the issues are, and enough research is being done. It’s only to agree on the amount to be paid. So as I said, efficiency: It’s my motto for me. In my profession, you diagnose problems, and you act. If you wait too long, there are more and more complications. That’s why I stand out.
With the Grants Pass decision, homelessness is essentially criminalized. What can the city do to better address homelessness?
They said homelessness can be addressed by providing housing. But what they have is a Navigation Center, lots of money is invested in there, but it’s only to help a small population. It’s not going to deal with people who really need it. OK, it’s good for veterans, but you know, drug addicts cannot go; people with their carts can’t go. If you’re an alcoholic, you can’t go there; if you have animals, you cannot go there. So, this is my proposal that could be implemented everywhere. Our problem is not just about COVID, but our young people who live in (bad) conditions; there are foster kids coming out of the system. They’re going to be homeless. My proposal would be very efficient, because we would involve the tribal members to contribute the money and a piece of land, with nonprofits and philanthropists, to build a small hotel with 200 rooms—only tiny rooms—bathrooms in the hall to get them showers, and all the services provided. You have training (and) rehabilitation; because many of them have been on the street for a long time, they need a community to be taught living skills.
I’ve talked to hundreds of them to see what their needs are. You see, there are harmless little old ladies in the streets. (Shelters) could be run so well, and the participants will volunteer and take care of the place with everything organized; food and everything is there. And then, some of them can save money when they get a job and move on, and then open (space for others). You could have categories, you know, like with two areas, for the people who have some mental issues. As I said, I talked to many of them, and I can see what it is. We have to provide methadone. We don’t have a methadone clinic in our so-called progressive area. You have to have the needle exchange programs. You have to have the methadone clinic. Because many people I talked to, they will participate. Which means the solution is there. It would not be very expensive. It would be a win-win situation for everyone, and that could be emulated all over. This is the only way. We have thousands and thousands and thousands (of city funds) coming out already, and that could serve as an example of how you do it in a cost-effective way. But there is nothing. The only rehab we have (costs) $30,000. You need insurance. Only people with means can pay for that. Rich people aren’t in the streets, they’re marginalized people.
What changes, if any, should the city make to its short-term/vacation rentals policies?
In my point of view, I am very shocked to see how most of the properties are owned by Canadians and people from out of state. They bought them during the downturn economy, when many people lost properties, and they bought them very cheap—mostly Canadian people, because their economy was not affected, and they have cash and, you know, properties that were $400,000 were going for $100,000, $130,000, all over the place. And that’s why, as I said, it’s mostly people from out of state who bought. This is very bad. Anyway, they have to pay the price, because they benefited from the system. They shouldn’t be rewarded, you know, in all these different ways. (Editor’s note: According to a 2021 analysis, 22 percent of Palm Springs properties are owned by remote owners.)
There should be extra fees imposed on anybody who has more units and is just renting seasonally; Airbnb should be charged more for this. The people who (own), they are charged (by the city) $500 a year (in fees), even below $500 a year. (Editor’s note: Palm Springs vacation-rental permits for entire homes cost either $642 or $1,072 per year.) And some of them have big places; they (make) $5,000 a day. Those fees should be increased substantially, and that would create revenues, (from) those people who are just there, keeping them for vacation to come for a few months out of a year. (There are also) a lot of crimes happening there which we have to pay for the police to investigate. So, our city pays lots of money to support their extravagant lifestyles. That would bring so much more money, if you increase the fees to people who (own) Airbnb and short-term rentals.
Housing in Palm Springs is too expensive for many current and prospective residents—including a lot of service-industry workers. What steps should the city take to address the issue?
In my point of view, you know, we should work together. If you live in Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Desert Hot Springs, you know, you just have to work together. We don’t have enough space to accommodate everybody; there’s no doubt about that, because the need is tremendous. The young people I talk to, three or four of them live together. It’s not an easy solution, and you cannot build enough to accommodate everybody unless we work together. You know, we’re connected; we could use (vacant grounds) to do it cheaper and more affordable. We have the campus coming. It’s going to be the College of the Desert campus. There should be a building there. They are proposing to build a hotel, you know, to have hospitality training. It’s so-called public relations, and we don’t need hospitality training. They should have a nice, big building with studios and one-bedrooms, because it’s a very large area. That would be very good, because many people are going to be working there; as opposed to commuting and polluting the air, they will be right there. It should be very important to build up some units there and not build a hotel. They are proposing many crazy things. They wanted to move the library downtown. You know, who would do that? The people don’t live downtown. And the board of the library, they fought it. You have to fight, because then, you know, they do not think straight (about) what is the right thing to do. I said the same thing. They’re proposing to build a hotel, as opposed to housing. Then, there are some commercial buildings that are vacant for years and years; some of them could be converted into affordable housing. There are a number of those places. It could add up. You add a little bit here, a little bit there, it would help.
You cannot accommodate everybody; that’s for sure. Unless we get these people to sell. That’s why I say, make it hard for these people who have three and four units. Make it hard for them; then they will sell it. That would help a lot. That would open up the market. There is a way to do it, but the special interest controls everything. They donate money to the elected officials, and they do what they want to do. They need high-tech training, get some of these companies, Facebook, TikTok, to bring a small plant here with a two-year training program for coding and other things. Diversify the economy and not just rely on tourism, something that will appeal to young people. Then they can afford to live here and stay and raise a family here.
What is your ideal night out in Palm Springs? Where are you going, and what are you doing?
Well, I volunteer for everything. I am a professional volunteer for the tennis tournaments, film festivals, for golf, for the food expo. I volunteer in the schools in the after-school programs. I am there for all these things, because you get involved in the community when you go to these events. I like to travel, so I do go to Los Angeles a lot, for my social life, and when it’s hot. So, I do make a difference. Volunteers contribute a lot to the local economy. I am always helping people, giving advice, either to senior citizens, or wherever I meet people. They always have questions about something. So I am, every day, making a difference in somebody’s life, in some ways.
David Rios
What experience would you bring to the Palm Springs City Council? What sets you apart from the other candidates?
The clear separation between myself and other candidates is that I came to Palm Springs in 2012 as an interior designer and a real estate agent. Coming here, working with the development of new projects, working with the city infrastructure and having that background of 28 years of understanding development and design, really elevates me, (along) with my years of experience being a licensed agent. I’ve worked with tribal land, also commercial spaces, and really understand our zoning. In addition, having my own small business in Palm Springs, there’s no other candidate who understands the pain or suffering that we take on and endure during the time frame of developing a business here. It’s been inspirational. It’s been challenging, still being able to survive, even through COVID and through the hardships of getting financing. So, that’s a clear indication of the separation that makes me stand out, being a business owner, having to deal with incidents with the unhoused, dealing with tourism dropping from how it was maybe a few years ago. That affects me individually.
The second part that really separates me is … a sense of community in terms of hands-on working with the general public, working with our nonprofit organizations, our volunteering and being relatable to the entire city. There’s not a nonprofit organization that I don’t volunteer (or) raise money for. I’m a really big face for the city, from the north side to the south side. And that’s hours of volunteering, or money given back or fundraising or cleaning up. That’s the clear definition. When you hear David Rios, you already know he’s tied and connected into the whole city.
What are the top two issues confronting all Palm Springs residents, including District 4 constituents?
The main concern that touches all residents in Palm Springs, first and foremost, is safety. Our safety rate is so concerning to me right now, in terms of making sure that our first responders are looked after, that they can produce and be there on a speedy time frame and actually have the tools to be able to do their job. In terms of the police force, it’s getting people more on the ground and having that infrastructure of knowing the specific areas in our neighborhoods and the neighborhoods knowing who our police officers are. We’ve had such a high crime rate that has gone up the last year, the break ins, and businesses that are closing up in our city. I see that. (Editor’s note: Crime is actually down slightly in Palm Springs.)
I’m (a member of the Desert Business Association) and at the Chamber of Commerce, I’ve been a member since 2016. I’ve seen these companies start up and go under. And, I see the influx of people coming to our city and, you know, causing havoc or creating crime and leaving. The crime rate is my biggest concern; that affects the whole entire city, and my concern is getting the resources back to police and fire so they can protect us. If a resident feels safe, then they feel like they can be more a part of the community. So, first and foremost, it’s safety.
The second is infrastructure, and seeing long-term that we’re building and adding sidewalks, streets, but also underground plumbing and electrical. That’s the infrastructure that we need to build so we can withstand the longevity of our potential growth, then the city can continue bringing tourism and other larger (projects) that will get that flow for the next five to 10 years.
With the Grants Pass decision, homelessness is essentially criminalized. What can the city do to better address homelessness?
Homelessness is an issue that’s impacting the whole entire state. What we have done is made an incredible space, that’s a safe space for anyone who decides to choose to come in and follow the rules. We have an interspace; it’s the first step of getting housing, and we have a homeless shelter that I support, Martha’s Village. I raised thousands of dollars for them. I was homeless at 16 years old, so I do understand the difficulties that one faces when they are homeless. The state has done a great deal for us, but we have to get them involved more, so that we can start using (different options) to create more housing for the homeless, and figure out why they’re not coming and utilizing our services. We have food service; we have areas where they can get new clothing as well. But the sad (part) is that (some unhoused) don’t want to take the services currently offered. They don’t want to come in and utilize the beds that are available. I’ve gone out there and worked with teens to try to get them registered and into the first station to get them with a counselor. But, a lot of the time, people are coming and they’re not really addressing the main factor. You know, we have a drug problem. We have a mental stability concern with these individuals, and I feel that’s where we need more support to get the medical teams they need first and foremost. I think once we start addressing the mentality of these individuals, that’ll lead them to come in and get (admitted into the shelters.) But first and foremost, it’s getting the proper medication for these people who are addicted to drugs. It is a big part of the process. That’s the sad part, (because) we do have availability of beds right now. We are opening up our new center … and that’ll be an additional 85 beds, and they’re not being utilized. That’s a clear indication that we have a separation on what the bigger issue is. And the bigger issue is getting people to really understand the mentality of where they’re at.
What changes, if any, should the city make to its short-term/vacation rentals policies?
I’m glad you brought this question up. I sit on a (Greater Palm Springs Realtors committee), so I understand vacation rentals quite well. We are the leading city in, I want to say all of the U.S., in how we’ve structured this policy. I feel like we have it right for residents who live here full time, and we’ve allowed the infrastructure for more businesses, more companies and more tourism to come into our city and allow them to have housing. I feel like the city has gotten it right. As far as that, having the caps on the individual neighborhoods is terrific, because it allows people to still live there full-time, but also, you’re not getting that over-saturation of vacation rentals. It allows the homeowners that are here full time to feel a sense of community.
The only issue that I have with the new rules that go into effect in 2026, is the new law that’s going to drop the stays. People who already have these vacation rental licenses—and they’ve had them, say, for the last four years—it’s going to drop their stays by 10 percent. That’s going to be a third of their income, a third of the stays. If you were grandfathered in, you had three years to keep your license at 36 days. That’ll end for everybody in the beginning of 2026, so you only have one year left. And that impact, the city has not done a study to see how tremendous of a negative impact that’ll create for our whole entire city, our community, our TOT (Transient Occupancy) Tax, our housing, our affordable housing as well.
A portion of the money that’s generated from the TOT tax from vacation rentals goes directly into a fund for affordable housing, and that’s where we can get grants and other things so developers and people coming into the city can take advantage of more beneficial deals that we could give potential long-term homeowners, and create more housing for them. (What we haven’t seen) is the impact. Whoever has a (short-term rental) license will automatically drop to 26 days; that’ll be millions of dollars that the city will lose. And that’s my concern. (The city) hasn’t done the numbers this impact will have on our whole entire community. We need to keep that TOT tax. I’m not an advocate of getting more licenses, or raising the caps in the areas. I think that’s been done very well. We have an incredible team for code enforcement. We don’t have a lot of violations, so I think it’s working really well. My concern is we’re losing numbers right now, and our numbers are not what we thought they were going to be on the TOT tax. We’re dropping tremendously. We can’t let it drop any more than 26 (short-term rental contracts per year). That number needs to stay the same, and we need to take into consideration people’s mortgages, their monthly payment, their interest rate, all of that plays a factor.
We see properties now going into foreclosure and short sales. In areas where now our average median on houses is $630,000, it used to be a $1.2 million; that’s dropped severely. Areas that are in an over-capped area, over 20 percent, we now see a lot of short sales; we see foreclosures coming up. This makes an impact for older people who have a line of equity. They’re losing their retirement. They’re losing their value on their property. They’re losing equity. And I see this as, we’ve got to come in from a financial standpoint and really take in consideration all parties. So my thing is, really understanding what TOT pays for, and letting the general public (know). That’s how I relate to this TOT tax; it makes sense. But, for us to take away a third of the income from our city, that’s in the millions—we’re suffering as it is. I have a small boutique hotel of 10 bedrooms. We don’t have anyone on the weekdays. Where we used to be sold out on the weekends; that’s not happening. This is the hardest summer we have ever had in, almost, history. It’s a financial hardship that’s going to be hitting the entire community.
Housing in Palm Springs is too expensive for many current and prospective residents—including a lot of service-industry workers. What steps should the city take to address the issue?
That’s a great question. Specifically, on land that the city owns currently, take some of the money that’s set away for affordable housing and utilize that for grants, for people who have been working here in the hospitality industry. That’s our biggest market right now, and we want them to stop driving from Coachella or Indio. We should allow these grants to happen (for) affordable housing in the $400,000 to $500,000 range, where two or three family members can qualify. This will allow them to achieve an FHA loan that will be able to take advantage of a great interest rate. This is land that we own. This is something that we need, for the state to (assist in) creating affordable housing. And why not give back to the people in our hospitality industry, who actually make us move and brings profit into the city? This is management; this is people who have been working here for three to five years that show stability in our city. These are creative ways I think about, on bringing homes to our support team. How can we get people an additional incentive for their down payment? How can we give them affordable housing, specifically for them to be first in line, and what land do we have to work with so that this is a win-win for all parties.
What is your ideal night out in Palm Springs? Where are you going and what are you doing?
Oh, it’s a tour of Palm Springs. We are just filled with so many little gems. I go to the boutique hotels, and I go into their bars; I go into their little restaurants. I have a drink; I have a little appetizer, and I’m off to the next one. I end my night at a beautiful Melvyn’s, or the Purple Room, where I’m able to see live entertainment that embodies Palm Springs. It’s relaxation. It brings me back to an old time period of when Palm Springs was originally developed. I love hearing classical music. I love hearing a pianist. I love to hear vocals. That’s what really suits David Rios, that’s giving back to our small businesses and giving an experience of Palm Springs like no other. I let people know these little hotels that are off the hidden path; these are the gems of Palm Springs. Spend some time with them. Give them money, but really experience the different elevation of their designs, the concept on their drinks, and feel the energy of what they’re all conveying, because they’re all different characters. So that’s what you’re giving friends and family, you know, that understanding and just having a little taste of Palm Springs, if you will.
Naomi Soto
What experience would you bring to the Palm Springs City Council? What sets you apart from the other candidates?
Well, it’s a crowded race, but I’m really proud of the experience and perspective and service that I have shown the city. I am a public health professional. I have been working in public health for 20 years. I am a working parent, and I’m a feminist organizer, so just in general, I really care about issues in terms of campaigns and City Council runs and other work in politics. Public service is a core value for me. I have just recently completed a six-year term on the Measure J Commission where I ended up as the chair the last two years and vice chair right before that.
So, I have deep experience and understanding of the machinations of City Council and understand how some of the budget decisions and infrastructure decisions are made. During my six years on Measure J, I oversaw over $120 million of infrastructure spending in Palm Springs, so I look forward to bringing over that kind of commission experience, as well as my other life experience in public health.
What are the top two issues confronting all Palm Springs residents, including District 4 constituents?
I think economic development is something that impacts small business, residents and tourists. It impacts literally every single person in our City Council. This is especially true in District 4. We have a lot of chronic commercial vacancies. We have empty bank buildings and empty restaurants, which really changes the neighborhood feel for a lot of parts of our south end of Palm Springs. I’d say that’s first and foremost.
Second, I think some quality-of-life indicators impact everybody in Palm Springs—so, making sure we have open, protected recreational space, safe parks, clean parks, well maintained parks and other city infrastructure. That’s also especially true in District 4, where it’s what they call “park deserts.” There are not a lot of parks in District 4 and the south end of Palm Springs, in general. And then, just to bring that back to my professional experience, I have a lot of experience in the built environment, which says how communities are designed, funded and maintained and plays a big role in how people live their lives and their general health outcomes. If you don’t feel safe walking to the neighborhood restaurant down your block, you’re not going to be as active. If you don’t have a park in your area, you’re not going to be as active. I think about that a lot, in terms of some of these issues having real impacts on people’s lives in District 4.
With the Grants Pass decision, homelessness is essentially criminalized. What can the city do to better address homelessness?
This is an important, important question and issue that the city is facing. I’m really glad that our current council put caveats as to how public safety and police address homelessness. They have really integrated and linked the success of the Navigation Center with how police interact with our unhoused residents, making sure that we are referring out to the Navigation Center, making sure people are aware that the Navigation Center is open, and there are beds available, having it absolutely linked with the usage of the Navigation Center. I think we have to make sure they’re absolutely tied together, because we want the Navigation Center to be successful, and we want to make sure that our unhoused residents even know that it’s there. We know that it’s going to take multiple attempts to get people, sometimes, to take a bed at the Navigation Center. And so, I want to make sure that it’s a transparent process, and we’re able to communicate to the community how police are doing that. That direction has already been given by council, but I think there’s a way that we can be a leader in the region, as to how our police are interacting with the unhoused, and how we’re getting them the support that they need. It’s not easy work, it’s really hard work, and it’s repetitive work, but absolutely necessary and important.
What changes, if any, should the city make to its short-term/vacation rentals policies?
I’m really proud of the way Palm Springs has approached short-term rentals. This is something that has been years of work and advocacy and careful monitoring of regulations and review. I think short-term rentals are a part of our economy. There are a lot of people who come to visit here and want to stay in a home. I have two small kids, and it’s easier for me to travel if I can get a short-term rental. It’s a key part of our tourism experience, and I appreciate the way that the city has worked collaboratively with our short-term rental owners to make sure that we protect the neighborhood experience, while also not overregulating short-term rentals essentially out of business.
I appreciate that there are transparent weekly reports that would happen in terms of which properties, if there were any issues or code violations. And moving forward, I think we just have to maintain diligence that the neighborhood experience is still something that is prioritized, and really making sure that we can balance those two needs—the needs of the neighborhoods and full-time residents, and also all the tourists who want to come.
Housing in Palm Springs is too expensive for many current and prospective residents—including a lot of service-industry workers. What steps should the city take to address the issue?
Housing is absolutely (an issue) across California, and Palm Springs is not immune to it. I would say this is an issue across all life stages, across all socioeconomic levels as well. I think it’s true of our service workers, but it’s true if you have kids and you need a bigger place, it’s hard to afford it. If you want to downsize, it could be a lot more expensive to purchase a condo than what you had anticipated. It’s really expensive. If you have a parent, an older parent, who’s going to move in with you, it’s just really hard to change your life circumstances—natural, good, bad, whatever it might be—when you’re stuck in your housing setup. And so, I say that to just underscore that it is true for service workers. No one is immune to our housing crisis. It impacts all of us.
In terms of what our city can do, I really want to make sure we are making our city a place where housing at all market levels is competitive and feasible. We have aggressive housing targets that we’ve established for ourselves as a city that are required by the state, and we really need to make sure that is both affordable housing and workforce housing.
The other part to that, I would say, is even helping to supplement whether that’s like a bit of, you know, zoning and density considerations and even (accessory dwelling units), right? So how can we as a city even have ambitious goals in those kind of smaller housing increases, increasing our housing stock in little amounts continuously, right? So having both big housing, maybe denser housing options, is something that we’re considering, and also, we’re saying, we want to have 75 to 100 ADUs in the next few years in Palm Springs. I’d love to see some measurable goals like that.
What is your ideal night out in Palm Springs? Where are you going, and what are you doing?
So that’s a very funny question. I say that because I’m usually having a day out, not a night out. I have two small children; my daughter is 4. My son is 2 1/2. There are a lot of families like that, in that same life space as me. If I were to think of a Saturday, or a weekend, we are often hitting the farmers’ market, hitting the playground, going to a pool—sometimes our pool; sometimes it’s a friend’s pool. Sometimes we get day passes and go to some of the hotels, and they’ll have playgrounds and slides and stuff like that. I try to find a restaurant that is a little family-friendly when we can; it’s not easy. We do a lot of takeout and taking it home, and I say that all in jest, just because I’m really connected with a lot of families here in Palm Springs who are interested in finding places to spend time with their kids. I really care a lot about multi-generational experiences that you can have. Anytime I can find some place where I can go with my parents and my kids, it’s a great Saturday.