Council approves 150‑unit Rancho Mirage affordable apartments, grants 55‑year fee deferral

The Rancho Mirage City Council on July 17 voted 5‑0 to approve entitlements for the Rancho Mirage Affordable Apartments, a proposed 150‑unit income‑restricted multifamily project located on a five‑acre city site.

Mina Dukic, director of development services, summarized the project as the second parcel under a disposition and development agreement secured by the city in December 2023. Dukic said the city’s sixth‑cycle housing element adopted in 2022 identified the site as inventory site B and that the project implements the city’s affordable housing overlay and the DDA with National Core and USA Properties Fund.

The proposal features seven two‑ and three‑story walk‑up buildings with one‑, two‑ and three‑bedroom units, a central community building with offices and resident services, on‑site open spaces and courtyards, solar carports covering 141 stalls and a total of 219 parking spaces (including 10 ADA spaces). Applicants provided desert‑adapted landscaping and a community building with resident amenity space. Staff reported a mitigated negative declaration under CEQA and said mitigation measures reduce environmental impacts to less‑than‑significant levels; the California Department of Fish and Wildlife submitted one comment that staff addressed.

The developer team described long‑term ownership and management commitments and on‑site supportive programming partnerships under consideration with nonprofit partners. The applicants requested deferral of development impact fees to support outside funding and tax‑credit underwriting; staff recommended a 55‑year fee deferral loan agreement if the project proceeds.

During the public hearing the Rancho Mirage Chamber of Commerce (read into the record by a chamber representative) and other speakers offered letters of support. One resident speaker opposed the project and raised concerns about the 55‑year fee deferral and other site‑specific issues.

After council comments praising the project as a long‑standing city housing objective, Mayor Pro Tem Moloto moved to adopt resolutions approving the mitigated negative declaration and mitigation monitoring program (SCH 2025050959), approve the preliminary development plan (PDP25‑002), and approve the development impact fee deferral agreement for the parcel (APN 685‑090‑016). The motion passed 5‑0. Council directed staff and the developer to provide ongoing property management updates and periodic reports.

Ending: Council approved the entitlements and the fee‑deferral agreement; staff and the developer will execute the agreements and return for any ministerial implementation steps.