In this small area, there are 63 residential income and commercial properties listed on the market as of this morning..

Tuesday there is a chamber event "Desert Hot Springs Now" targeting developers and builders to come to Desert Hot Springs.

I am looking forward to revitalization of this city more than any other city in the desert area. Residents of Desert Hot Springs are down to earth, beautiful people concerned about the environment and enjoy their rural lifestyle. I am all for the clean up of this city, just hope they don't ruin the city with cookie-cutter roof tops.

Hopefully, they will take advantage of the natural springs hot water underground and develop this city as a wellness community. Desert Hot Springs receives an award every year for the best tasting water in the nation. Some areas have natural hot water up to 120º, which is prime for geothermal energy development.

Any comments appreciated!

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This article on the downtown area, corner of Palm Ave, so why are all the shops and offices in the surrounding area listed for sale?

Desert Hot Springs seeks $31M for image boost

Plans for Desert Hot Springs (Artist rendering)

How will Desert Hot Springs use $31M?

$16 MILLION: Purchase property along Pierson Boulevard to attract developers. City officials hope to attract a signature project similar to The River in Rancho Mirage.

$10 MILLION: Major street improvements through the city, which will include installing curbs, gutters and sidewalks.

$2 MILLION: Beautify downtown corridors Palm Drive and Pierson Boulevard with sidewalk furniture, street lighting and landscape additions.

$2 MILLION: Downtown building improvements, which will include new storefronts on existing businesses downtown.

$1 MILLION: Discretionary funds reserved for relocation costs or other unanticipated expenses as projects are processed.What: Desert Hot Springs City Council meets, acting as the city's Redevelopment Agency and Finance Authority Board, to discuss selling $31 million in bonds.

http://www.mydesert.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/NEWS01/804010316

Eminent Domain is a sticky issue.  I think that it is a tool that NEEDS to be available to local governments, but it is very abused by those same entities.  There needs to be limits placed on the local governments to not play the game the wrong way. 

Eminent domain rules as currently written in California, unless superceded by local laws, allow a government entity to take any property for any reason. There is really nothing to stop them, with the current blight law being broad enough that leaves on a private tennis court have been used to declare blight and take a property.

The new propositions will not stop the government from taking land to build infrastructure, but it will help stop the taking of private land to give to another developer to build new strip malls and condos. Remember also that single family homes fall under the category of commercial properties when they are not owner-occupied under the current rules, so the statement that they cannot take homes for private development is false.

No intent to hijack your post, but you can read more here http://tinyurl.com/3sxud6. I've been discussing this in my blog for the Santa Clarita area (specifically Downtown or Old Town Newhall) for quite awhile.

I appreciate your comments on this, I hope residents do use your website as a reference.

Nice blog, btw! 

To be honest, some of these buildings should be torn down, actually most of them!

As for historical sites in this city, there aren't very many, surprising since it is one of the oldest cities in the desert area. The Lautner hotel was purchased recently along with some other interesting architectural homes. I doubt anything in the downtown area has historical value whatsoever.

Thank you...

The idea of eminent domain is that it would be used by government sparingly and to the interest of the greater good.  I do not believe that private developers should be able to by themselves or through the city snatch people's property to make themselves richer.  Eminent domain was not meant to be a land grab.