Housing Commission Backs OMNIA Supply Purchasing 4-1, but Spending Caps Draw Dissent
Housing Commission • Palm DesertSeptember 29, 2026
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The Palm Desert Housing Commission voted 4-1 to keep the city's affordable housing portfolio stocked with sinks, faucets, microwaves and ranges. At a special meeting on Sept. 29, 2026, commissioners recommended that the Palm Desert Housing Authority authorize OMNIA Partners cooperative purchasing vendors for fiscal year 2026-27. The vote came with the current contract set to expire at month's end, and one commissioner pushed back on how vendor spending caps were set.
- 4-1 vote recommends OMNIA vendor authorization for Housing Authority maintenance supplies in FY 2026-27
- City Council is scheduled to take up the item Oct. 8, with the current contract expiring at the end of September
- Commissioner Morrison votes no after challenging the gap between the $215,000 Lowe's cap and the $55,000 Home Depot cap
Commission Keeps Supply Pipeline Open for Housing Authority
The basics: OMNIA Partners is a cooperative purchasing network. It lets the city buy from vendors at prices already competitively bid by other governments, so the city skips its own request for proposals. Staff said OMNIA is free to join and the city has been a partner since about 2012.
Why it matters: The Housing Authority uses these vendors for unit turnovers, the repairs and replacements needed before a vacant apartment can be re-leased. The commission's recommendation keeps the item on the City Council's Oct. 8 agenda. Without it, the city would lack authorization to use OMNIA, and the item would drop off that agenda.
Where things stand: Staff framed the arrangement as a speed and efficiency tool that matches the prior year's approach.
"We're able to obtain the items that we need much more expeditiously than if we were to go out to bid," said Victor Gomez, Senior Management Analyst, Development Services Department.
The vendor list in the agenda packet includes Quill, Waxie Sanitary Supply, Lowe's and Home Depot, along with HD Supply and Sherwin-Williams for paint. Not-to-exceed caps in the agenda total up to $579,000. Gomez said there is no required spending floor. "There is not a minimum must-spend amount," he said.
Why a special meeting: The item could not wait for a regular meeting because staff had not made the recommendation to the City Council earlier.
"We don't have authorization to use the OMNIA Partners network until you make a recommendation to the City Council," said Denise Thomas, Deputy Director, Development Services Department.
Chair Bowler noted that the current contract expires at the end of the month, which left a tight window between the commission's vote and the Council's hearing.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The motion to approve the staff recommendation passed by roll call. For: 4 (Chair Bowler, Vice Chair Dawkins, Commissioner Siddiqui, Commissioner Moore). Against: 1 (Commissioner Morrison). Absent: 1 (Commissioner Pyle).
Housing Authority tenants have the most direct stake, since faster purchasing means appliances and fixtures can be replaced sooner during turnovers. HavenCorps, which manages the portfolio, keeps access to pre-negotiated pricing across multiple suppliers. The listed vendors keep their place in the city's purchasing stream for another year. No members of the public commented.
What's next: The recommendation goes to the City Council on Oct. 8. The staff report and vendor participation letters are posted with the agenda.
Lowe's vs. Home Depot: Caps Spark Lone Dissent
Why it matters: Vendor-level caps decide where hundreds of thousands of public dollars can flow. The dissent shows that commissioners still have questions about how those limits are set.
Where things stand: Commissioner Morrison zeroed in on the gap between the two big-box retailers.
"Lowe's is at $215,000 and Home Depot is at $55,000. That's a big difference," said Morrison.
Gomez said the numbers look uneven only at first glance. HD Supply, which is owned by Home Depot, carries its own cap of $230,000. Combined with the standalone Home Depot cap, that gives the Home Depot family more room than Lowe's. Staff added that using several vendors, including Sherwin-Williams for paint, lets the authority pick the best price at scale.
How the caps were set: Staff said the caps carry over the amounts authorized in the last fiscal year. HavenCorps had only just finished its first year managing the portfolio, so a full year of spending data was not yet available to size the limits.
The other side: Morrison was not persuaded. Morrison pressed the point that standalone Home Depot still comes in below Lowe's, and staff agreed. Morrison cast the only no vote.
Decisions and stakeholder impacts: The caps advance as proposed. Because the limits were rolled forward rather than built from a full year of HavenCorps spending, next year's renewal will be the first chance to set caps against actual purchasing patterns. Lowe's and HD Supply hold the largest individual allocations in this cycle.
What's next: Residents and advocates tracking the Oct. 8 Council hearing may want to ask:
- How did spending break down by vendor during HavenCorps' first full year?
- Will future caps be set from actual spending data?
- Why are the Lowe's and standalone Home Depot caps sized so differently?
Looking Ahead
The Palm Desert City Council is scheduled to consider the OMNIA Partners authorization on Oct. 8, with the current contract expiring at the end of September.