Mayor Taps Subcommittee as Residents Demand Rental Ordinance Repeal

City Council • Desert Hot SpringsOctober 20, 2026

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Desert Hot Springs' contested rental registration and inspection ordinance is stalled, but it is still on the books. At the Oct. 20, 2026, council meeting, about a dozen residents, tenants, owners and a broker asked for a formal repeal vote. Instead, the mayor said he will appoint a two-member subcommittee to decide whether to repeal or revamp the ordinance. Elsewhere, the council quietly committed $3.05M to buy a building and hired a consultant to chase an $8.5M state park grant.

No repeal vote yet: Mayor will appoint Pitts and Voss to study Chapter 5.58
$93,486.75 consultant deal approved unanimously to pursue up to $8.5M for Skyborne Park
Closed-session 5-0 vote to buy 65311 San Jacinto Lane for $3,050,000
Public comment rights: Brown Act letter motion and trimmed social media policy pass unanimously
Audit and Flock questions go unanswered as consent items pass with Pye opposed

Rental Ordinance: "Dead," but Not Gone

Why it matters: Chapter 5.58, the city's rental registration and inspection ordinance, passed two readings, but its fee schedule did not. Residents say the law's inspection and fine provisions still have legal force. Council members say it can't operate without fees. That gap drove the longest discussion of the night.

Where things stand: Speakers lined up during general public comment with one request: put formal repeal on the next agenda. They argued that tabling or defeating the fee schedule is not the same as repealing the ordinance. They cited tenant privacy, in-home inspections, higher rents, cost to the city, and the timing of the readings around July 4.

Rhonda Hubler, owner broker, Four Winds Realty, said the program burdens tenants, owners and managers. "I am requesting that the City Council introduce and pass an ordinance to repeal Chapter 5.58 the rental registration program," she said.

Several others spoke from personal experience:

Public commenter Tom Wilhelm said he has owned property for 30 years.
Public commenter Mattie Parker spoke as a tenant and asked for a clear answer.
Public commenter Kelly Cooper said neither renters nor landlords want the ordinance, and that compliance costs would raise rents.
Public commenter Ashley Valenzuela asked what prevents the city from reviving the fee schedule on short notice.
Public commenter Crystal Watson said it was her fourth appearance on the issue.

Late in the meeting, public commenter Russell Betts walked through provisions he said remain active. These include inspections, permit revocation, perjury attestations, out-of-area property manager rules, record-keeping and fines. "These provisions are in place now and remain in place until you repeal the ordinance," he said.

The other side: Council members described the ordinance as functionally frozen. "The administration of the rental ordinance is on pause," said Councilmember Jan Pye, because the fees were not passed.

Councilmember Daniel Pitts proposed a study group: "Would you please approve the formation of a subcommittee appointing Mayor Pro Tem Dirk Voss and myself to study the rental inspection ordinance," he asked.

Mayor Pro Tem Dirk Voss said any outcome would likely be compliance-driven rather than enforcement-driven. He floated a possible multifamily officer and tenant advocacy. "It's not penalty, it's not punitive, it's not trying to raise money," he said.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Mayor Scott Matas said he will appoint Pitts and Voss. He said the city cannot enact the ordinance without a fee structure. "So technically, it is dead as of right now. It's just not off the books yet," he said.

The panel's charge, in his words: "They will then take the ordinance and decide whether it needs to be fully repealed, or do you throw the baby out with the bathwater, or do you just revamp it?"

Matas also rejected claims that the council held a special meeting over July 4. He said second readings go on consent unless pulled.

The outcome leaves tenants, landlords and brokers without the clean repeal they sought. Instead, there is now a path toward a rewritten, compliance-focused program.

What's next: No repeal item was scheduled. Residents seeking repeal will need to engage the Pitts-Voss subcommittee.

City Bets $93K on an $8.5M Park Grant

The basics: Skyborne Park is a planned 5.25-acre park at Karen Avenue and Promenade Drive. It is in engineering design by David Evans and Associates. Plans include a multi-use soccer field, basketball and pickleball courts, playgrounds, a dog park and a walking path. The estimated cost is about $8M.

Why it matters: The state's Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program (SPP) Cycle 5 has $188M available. Awards range from $200,000 to $8.5M, with no local match required. A win could cover most of the build-out. However, the city pays the consultant whether or not it wins.

Where things stand: Deputy City Manager Daniel Porras presented on behalf of Denise Abriel.

Staff conservatively self-scored the application at about 67 of 100 points and flagged weak criteria.
Of three consultants interviewed, staff recommended Kounkuey Design Initiative (KDI), citing its 20 years of experience, local office and community focus.
The contract is $89,035 plus a $4,451.75 contingency, for a total of $93,486.75.

The other side: Councilmember Gary Gardner questioned the risk. He noted that "since we're projecting to spend upwards of $90,000 on this one, and God forbid they don't win the grant, we're out $90,000." He asked about contingency-fee grant writers.

On whether that approach is legal, City Attorney Jennifer Mizrahi said, "I don't see why it wouldn't be allowed," though she knew of no such firms. Porras said other options would require hiring outreach firms and nonprofit partners separately. He estimated several roughly $20,000 contracts would total about the same amount.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The council approved the agreement unanimously. Gardner moved the item and Pitts seconded. No one spoke during public comment.

Officials clarified that the park sits outside the Skyborne HOA and will be open to all residents. Mayor Matas said, "I don't have any recusal needs," noting that his company no longer manages the HOA.

What's next: The grant application is due Dec. 17, 2026.

Who Controls the Podium — and the Comments Section

Why it matters: The council approved two items affecting how residents can criticize the city, both in person and online. A tense exchange during public comment showed the friction behind both votes.

Where things stand: The council considered an "Unconditional Commitment Letter" responding to a claim by resident Joshua Hendrick. His claim alleges content-based limits on public comment at three meetings, in violation of the Brown Act. Hendrick urged the council to adopt the letter as drafted and to adopt written, uniformly applied rules for comment. "You can limit our time, but please don't limit our content," he said.

Gardner moved and Voss seconded a motion on the letter, which passed unanimously. The precise wording of the motion was not stated.

The council also adopted an updated Social Media Policy. Shayra Hernandez, Governmental Relations and Communications Manager, said that in an abundance of caution, staff struck portions of three provisions in Section Three and Appendix A. Those provisions covered legal-threat and comment-removal language. Residents said a keyword filter had removed critical comments on police posts earlier this year.

Hendrick backed the changes but added a request: "If any portion of those pieces remain, that we have a public log of any comments removed." The policy passed unanimously, with Gardner seconding.

The other side: The mayor stopped public commenter Dimple Jean King after she mentioned owning a pellet gun while criticizing home inspections. "Ma'am, you cannot threaten the City Council with any type of violence, okay?" said Mayor Matas. King denied making a threat.

Later, Matas said that insinuating violence gives the council the right to stop speakers. He said his own life has been threatened three times. Public commenter Adam Sanchez accused the council of ignoring First Amendment rights. Sanchez also said the mayor had cut off a speaker three weeks earlier.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: Both measures narrow the city's discretion over critical speech, a win for regular commenters. Still, the line between disruptive threats and protected criticism remains contested.

Unanswered: Audits, Bonds and Flock Cameras

Where things stand: Hendrick asked the council to pull the payment register and the treasurer's report from the consent calendar. He cited audit findings 2024-001 and 2025-001 and requested:

A list of vendors paid more than $50,000, matched to council approvals
A public hearing on the city's state lobbying positions
Explanations of the Furby settlement fund, defunct fund 211, and negative cash balances in the general and public safety funds
An explanation of a $4M swing in fund 256

He linked these concerns to a planned $7.5M lease revenue bond vote on Nov. 17. Later he added, "I'm asking you for next meeting to agendize the fiscal 2025 single audit," with the auditor present. He also asked for an open vote on the Flock license plate reader contract and its data-sharing list.

Sanchez said Flock cameras cost more than $340,000 without budget approval. Public commenter Andy asked the council to agendize removal of 24 Flock cameras.

Decisions and stakeholder impacts: No councilmember pulled either item, and no response was recorded. The consent calendar passed with Councilmember Pye opposed; the yes tally was not stated.

City Commits $3.05M to San Jacinto Lane Building

After closed session, City Attorney Mizrahi reported a 5-0 vote to enter a purchase and sale agreement for 65311 San Jacinto Lane "for the purchase price of $3,050,000." The city manager will place $85,000 in escrow. The intended use of the property was not discussed publicly.

The council also unanimously added an urgent closed-session item, Desert Healthcare District v. all persons interested (CVPS 2408394). The item had to be acted on before Nov. 6. No reportable action was announced on that case, the Diaferio lawsuit, or the anticipated-litigation claim.

Animal center: Greater Palm Springs Animal Allies reported serving 8,400 pets. Its mobile clinic logged 614 vaccinations, and a second vet is planned for 2027.
Finances: Administrative Services Director Geoffrey Buchheim said "revenues this year have been over $2.9 million, which is at 77% of the adopted budget." That compares with over $4M two years ago.
Housing report delayed: The SB 341 Housing Successor Agency annual report was tabled to the next meeting at staff request.
Ethics update: The biennial Conflict of Interest Code review was approved on consent.
Community event: Desert Nights on the Boulevard is set for Oct. 24.

Looking ahead: The Nov. 3 meeting is canceled for Election Day. The council next meets Nov. 17, when a $7.5M lease revenue bond vote is planned.

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