1 Kristie Ramos, CMC
From:Melisa Dolores-Silva
Sent:Thursday, December 21, 2023 10:01 AM
To:Kristie Ramos, CMC
Cc:Ian Gabriel
Subject:RM City Council Meeting, Public Hearing 17
Attachments:TPC Support Letter.pdf
Follow Up Flag:Follow up
Flag Status:Flagged
CAUTION: This email originated from outside The City of Rancho Mirage. DO NOT CLICK links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.
Hello,
Please find attached a support letter for item 17 on the city council agenda for today's meeting.
Thank you.
Best,
Respectfully,
MELISA DOLORES-SILVA
Affordable Housing Pipeline Manager, Lift to Rise
C (760) 515 - 2418
O (760) 636 - 0420 | 1113
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 the Disposition and Development Agreement with Pacific West Communities, Inc., and Finding the Action Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act. (10 Acres within APN 685-090- 011 – Parcel A-1)
Dear Mayor Downs, Mayor Pro Tem Weill, and other distinguished council members, Lift to Rise would like to offer our support for Rancho Mirage City Council to move forward with approving the disposition and development agreement (DDA) with Pacific West Communities, Inc., and Finding the Action Exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act.
Rancho Mirage is one of the cities in our region to have a certified Housing Element and we are excited that the city is taking steps to prioritize affordability for its residents by acting on the plans of implementation. According to the city’s own certified Housing Element, Rancho Mirage has a current Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) of 1,746 housing units with almost half of them, 748, being allocated for extremely low – low-income needs.
Moving forward with approving the disposition and development agreement (DDA) with Pacific West Communities shows the city's dedication and commitment to meeting the mandated allocation of housing needs in a highly desirable area that will allow for greater employment opportunities, access to transit, parks, major shopping centers and other amenities.
Access to safe and affordable housing is fundamental to a person's overall well-being and quality of life. Housing instability and cost burdens can have negative impacts on physical and mental health, educational outcomes, and overall quality of life. By addressing housing needs, cities can contribute to improved living conditions and overall community well-being. This newest affordable housing project will be a safe space for families near a hospital, grocery store, and schools.
Pacific West Communities, Inc. operates under the umbrella of The Pacific Companies (TPC), a nationally recognized privately held for-profit real estate enterprise focusing on the development and management of special-use commercial real estate across the western United States. Their primary emphasis lies in crafting affordable and market-rate multifamily housing within California, Arizona, Nevada, and Idaho. As active contributors to the Lift to Rise Housing Collaborative Action Network (CAN), they bring extensive expertise in real estate development within the Coachella Valley. Notably, they are currently engaged in projects not only in Rancho Mirage but also in Indio and Palm Desert. Pacific West Communities, Inc. has proven to be a trusted partner and an integral participant in our collective efforts.
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 60 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:
73-710 Fred Waring Drive, Suite 100, Palm Desert, CA 92260 | lifttorise.org
• Aggregating a pipeline of community-prioritized projects across the valley, • Growing a regional Housing Catalyst fund to spur production, • Advocating at the local, state, and federal level for policies and regulatory changes that Support housing production in our region,
• Engaging and mobilizing residents and elected officials in support of affordable housing, and
• 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 of Rancho Mirage for joining us in this work thus far and urge the city council to continue to prioritize the 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