Desert Hot Springs council adopts assessment intentions, extends SWAG homelessness contract

The Desert Hot Springs City Council on June 2 adopted multiple intention resolutions to levy and collect assessments for the city’s landscape, lighting and drainage districts and approved a one-year professional-services agreement extension with Social Work Action Group (SWAG) for homelessness outreach and the crisis stabilization center.

Staff presented the engineer’s estimates and recommended adoption. For Landscape & Lighting Maintenance District No. 1 staff estimated FY 2026–27 costs at $2,403,453 with assessments expected to provide $574,048 and the general fund covering the remaining approximately $1.8 million. For Landscape & Lighting District No. 2 (Zones 1–19) staff estimated costs at $324,196 with expected assessment revenues of $355,607. For Drainage Assessment District No. 1 staff estimated costs at $202,169 and assessment revenues at $234,265. Councilmembers had no public objections and voted unanimously to adopt the resolutions that declare the city’s intention to levy the assessments and approve the related annual engineer’s reports.

On the pulled consent item, staff described the city’s professional services agreement with Social Work Action Group (SWAG) for operation of the crisis stabilization center and homelessness outreach. Staff said an amendment in May 2025 reduced facility staffing under the revised service model and cited an amended contract amount of approximately $542,000; staff recommended and the council approved a new one-year agreement with options for up to three additional one-year extensions, not to exceed $625,000 annually. (The staff presentation includes an apparent transcription error listing an implausibly large earlier dollar figure; staff’s stated current and proposed annual contract amounts are approximately $542,000 and up to $625,000 respectively.)

All motions on the assessments and the SWAG contract were adopted by unanimous vote.