From:Jessika Pollard
To:Kristie Ramos, CMC
Cc:Ian Gabriel
Subject:RM Public Comment
Date:Thursday, October 5, 2023 10:37:41 AM
Attachments:RM Eisenhower Child Care Center.pdf
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Hello Kristie,
Please find attached a comment letter for an item on today's city council agenda.
Thank you!
Best,
JESSIKA POLLARD
Senior Policy Analyst, Lift to Rise
C (760) 898 - 9995
O (760) 636 - 0420 | 1044
lifttorise.org
73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 100, Palm Desert, CA 92260 | lifttorise.org
RE: Consider Adopting Resolution No. 2023-(Next-in-Order), Approving Tentative Parcel Map (TPM23-0001) and Preliminary Development Plan (PDP22-0002) for Eisenhower Medical Center Proposed Project.
Dear Mayor Kite, Mayor Pro Tem Downs, and other distinguished council members, Lift to Rise would like to express our strong support for the development at Eisenhower Medical Center that will consist of a childcare center. This childcare center will cater to the needs of the dedicated hospital staff and healthcare workers.
As we are all aware, healthcare professionals play a crucial role in ensuring the well-being of our community. Their tireless efforts and commitment often demand long hours and irregular shifts, making it challenging for them to balance their professional responsibilities with personal and family life. Recognizing the difficulties faced by healthcare workers in finding affordable housing and quality childcare, the establishment of a childcare facility within the hospital premises is a proactive and compassionate solution.
The implementation of an on-site childcare facility would not only ease the burden on healthcare workers but also contribute to their overall well-being and job satisfaction. By providing a convenient and reliable childcare option, the stress and logistical challenges faced by staff will be alleviated. This, in turn, can have a positive impact on staff retention, recruitment, and the overall morale of the hospital workforce which is vital considering the long running nursing shortage.
Moreover, the availability of onsite childcare can enhance the hospital's image as an employer that prioritizes the needs of its staff, fostering a supportive and family-friendly work environment; setting the framework for other hospitals.
Lift to Rise was formed to transform the systems that generate the supply of affordable housing, recognizing that the combination of low wages and high housing costs are the root causes of financial precarity among Coachella Valley residents.
That is why Lift to Rise and over 70 cross-sector partners, including the City of Rancho Mirage, have coordinated around a shared goal of reducing the regional housing cost burden at a population level through the production of 10,000 units of affordable housing in the Coachella Valley by 2028.
Together, we are operating off a shared Action Plan which spans 5 key strategy areas:
1. Aggregating a pipeline of community-prioritized projects across the valley,
2. Growing a regional Housing Catalyst fund to spur production,
3. Advocating at the local, state, and federal level for policies and regulatory changes that Support housing production in our region,
4. Engaging and mobilizing residents and elected officials in support of affordable housing, and
5. Keeping residents housed through a coordinated eviction prevention strategy.
We stand ready as a collaborative to support the city to increase affordability. We thank the City Council for joining us in this work thus far and urge the city council to continue to prioritize the
73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 100, Palm Desert, CA 92260 | lifttorise.org
production of affordable housing to ensure that all residents are healthy, stable, and thriving and urge you again prioritize affordability with this recommendation.
Thank you for your time.
Lift to Rise