Housing

Purpose and Introduction

Palm Springs’ 2021-2029 Housing Element is the City’s official plan for addressing the housing needs of its residents and workforce. It is the City's framework of goals and policies that guide future decisions and priorities with respect to housing. The Housing Element also provides detailed programs for meeting existing and future housing needs for residents of all income levels, abilities, and special needs.

Special Note

This page provides goal and policy portions of the Housing Element. The full text including all state-mandated requirements can be found in the full Element available for download by clicking here.

Selected Figures and Tables

Figures

Tables

Goals and Policies

Goal HS1: Diverse, Balanced Housing Opportunity

Facilitate a diverse and balanced range of housing types, prices, and opportunities to address current and future housing needs in the city.

Policies

HS1.1	Provide residential sites through appropriate land use, zoning, and specific plan designations to accommodate and encourage a broad range of housing opportunities.
HS1.2	Facilitate and encourage single-family homes, apartments and townhomes, mobile homes, and special needs housing; consider smaller courtyard and/or small-lot developments to address the need for middle income housing.
HS1.3	Facilitate the production of quality mixed- and multiuse projects that are complementary with surrounding uses and context sensitive.
HS1.4	Ensure housing is adequately served by recreation and parks, libraries, sanitary and storm sewers, transportation, public safety, and other public services and facilities.
HS1.5	Support the provision and/or development of multiple family housing in nontraditional locations, including underutilized commercial sites, or in innovative ways, including hotel conversions, microhomes, and other means.
HS1.6	Provide for regulatory and financial incentives to encourage well-designed housing, special-needs housing, and housing affordable to households of different income levels.
HS1.7	Support appropriate levels of housing production that meet city housing needs yet also promote the vitality of established neighborhoods and enhanced quality of life.
HS1.8	Protect residential neighborhoods from the encroachment of uses that detract or change the character of the neighborhood.
HS1.9	Support the construction of higher density residential and commercial opportunities as well as implementation of infrastructure plans in the Section 14 Specific Plan.

Goal HS2: Housing and Neighborhood Quality

Foster a high quality of life and vibrant neighborhoods through the preservation and improvement of housing and neighborhood character and provision of community services.

Policies

HS2.1	Enhance neighborhoods with open space, adequate parking and traffic management, pedestrian and bicycle routes, public safety, and other public services and facilities.
HS2.2	Foster resident involvement in neighborhood organizations and homeowner associations to support the beautification, improvement, and preservation of neighborhoods.
HS2.3	Enhance the appearance and character of neighborhoods with high quality site planning, architecture, and landscape design in residential developments.
HS2.4	Encourage the preservation and restoration of homes that have historical, architectural, or cultural significance as prescribed by the Historic Preservation Ordinance.
HS2.5	Maintain the quality of housing through the enforcement of housing and property maintenance standards; encourage the repair, improvement, and rehabilitation of housing.
HS2.6	Ensure that residential projects exemplify high quality and thoughtful design through adherence to adopted architectural and design standards and architectural review.
HS2.7	Support the preservation of quality mobile home parks as a source of affordable housing through the provision of rental and homeownership assistance and rehabilitation.
HS2.8	Preserve the supply of affordable rental housing in the community, including mobile home parks, publicly subsidized rental housing, and special needs housing.
HS2.9	Ensure that proposals for the conversion of apartments into condominiums are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, discouraging where appropriate and possible, and that existing affordable units are not lost due to conversion.

Goal HS3: Housing Assistance and Special Needs

Facilitate and encourage a broad range of rental and ownership opportunities, housing products, and community supportive services for people with special housing needs.

Policies

HS3.1	Support the development of accessible and affordable senior rental housing, assist seniors to maintain and improve their homes; and support the provision of senior services.
HS3.2	Assist in the development of emergency, transitional, and permanent supportive housing and shelters, and provision of supportive services for people who are homeless.
HS3.3	Increase the supply of affordable and accessible housing suited to the (semi)independent living needs of people with disabilities; provide assistance to people with disabilities to maintain and improve their homes.
HS3.4	Increase the supply of affordable housing for people living with HIV/AIDS and expand associated services to support their varied needs.
HS3.5	Support collaborative partnerships of nonprofit organizations, the development community, and the City of Palm Springs to provide affordable housing.
HS3.6	Assist and support, where feasible, in the production and conservation of housing affordable to very low, low, and moderate income households.
HS3.8	Facilitate a comprehensive approach to meeting the needs of residents of affordable housing by requiring space to be set aside in new developments for support services, such as job training, childcare, and wrap around services.
HS3.9	Improve accessibility for the physically impaired and disabled by eliminating architectural barriers during the design, rehabilitation, and new construction of housing.
HS3.10	Seek to preserve housing opportunities for all residents through actions aimed at limiting displacement, preserving affordable housing, and expanding housing opportunities.

Goal HS4: Resource Conservation

Fulfill the City’s housing needs while protecting the natural environment and resources, the safety of housing, and promoting an environmentally sustainable ethic.

Policies

HS4.1	Require that all housing projects be thoughtfully integrated into the natural environment, considering the protection of washes, hillsides, viewsheds, and features of the terrain.
HS4.2	Prohibit encroachment of housing development into areas designated as open space, desert, or conservation areas to the extent permissible under state and federal law.
HS4.3	Encourage green building practices and energy conservation standards and incorporation of solar energy in the construction, rehabilitation, and renovation of housing to mitigate climate change impacts.
HS4.4	Encourage the conservation of water resources through the incorporation of native landscaping and noninvasive species that are specially adapted to the desert climate.
HS4.5	Support the Multiple Species Habitat Conservation Plan and the Tribal Habitat Conservation Plan to allow for sensitive integration of new housing into undeveloped areas where permitted under the plan.
HS4.6	Continue to require, monitor, and enforce National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permits and appropriate best management practices.
HS4.7	Ensure that new housing is appropriately located, designed, and adequately protected from wildfire, flooding, wind, drought, excessive heat, and other features of the environment in Palm Springs.

Goal HS5: Fair Housing

Affirm, promote, and implement social justice and equity in the provision, type, and affordability of housing and the availability of services for all Palm Springs residents.

Policies

HS5.1	Ensure housing opportunities are available to all without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, marital status, familial status, age, gender, gender identity, disability, source of income, sexual orientation, military status, immigration status, or other arbitrary factors.
HS5.2	Work to ensure that all neighborhoods have fair access to public facilities, supporting infrastructure, safety, and community services that offer the opportunity for a high quality of life.
HS5.3	Work to end discriminatory actions in all aspects affecting the advertisement, sale, rental, financing, or occupancy of housing based on protected status or arbitrary classification.
HS5.4	Seek to remedy direct and disparate impacts on individuals with respect to fair housing through the development and implementation of land use planning, municipal code, administrative regulations, and/or programs.
HS5.5	Continue to provide an open and receptive forum for city residents, commissions, and City staff to discuss issues of importance and develop an agenda to improve fair housing.
HS5.6	Provide for counseling, dispute resolution and fair housing services, and disseminating resources to underrepresented residents, including non-English speakers.
HS5.7	Administer municipal programs and activities relating to housing and community development in a manner consistent with the obligation to affirmatively further fair housing.
HS5.8	Prohibit public or private land use practices, decisions, and authorizations based on protected class, including zoning laws, denials of use permits, and other actions otherwise authorized under Planning and Zoning Law, §65000 et seq.

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PALM SPRINGS 2040 GENERAL PLAN

Purpose and Introduction

Special Note

Selected Figures and Tables

Goals and Policies

Goal HS1: Diverse, Balanced Housing Opportunity

Goal HS2: Housing and Neighborhood Quality

Goal HS3: Housing Assistance and Special Needs

Goal HS4: Resource Conservation

Goal HS5: Fair Housing