newsIn a city where rent has gone up about 65% in five years, and wages have not kept up with the cost of living expenses, Palm Springs officials are turning their attention toward affordable housing and fair housing – and they want to hear from residents. The city is requesting input on two surveys – one dealing with community needs and the other focused on fair housing. Through the surveys, city staff hope to gauge residents’ opinions on the level of need for services such as rental housing for large families, housing for people with disabilities, infrastructure needs like street lighting and sidewalk improvements, and community facilities like child care and senior centers.The surveys and a pair of community meetings on Feb. 10 will be followed by staff work that is coming at a crucial time.   Continue readingAccording to data supplied by Zillow, from December 2019 to December 2024, the average rent in Palm Springs went from $1,410 to $2,337. In the meantime, federal funding for many projects is in doubt in the wake of the new administration’s flurry of often confusing executive orders. The responses to the community needs survey and input at the public meetings will help the city complete a new five-year Consolidate Plan, or ConPlan – a document mandated by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) annual entitlement funds eligibility.

By Kirk PinhoKirk Pinho is a senior reporter covering commercial real estate. Since joining Crain's Detroit Business in 2013, he has written about leasing, development and property sales in Detroit and its suburbs, as well as the industry's trends, personalities and quirks.