New affordable apartment community opens in Palm Desert; local leaders highlight the need

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A new affordable housing development held its official grand opening Monday morning.

Crossings at Palm Desert, located on the north side of Palm Desert at the corner of Dick Kelly Drive and Gateway Drive, has brought 176 new low-cost apartment units to the city. 87 of those units are reserved for families who received housing vouchers the Housing Authority of Riverside County. The cost to the remaining units depends on how much the tenants make compared to the area median income.

The gated complex also features a tot lot for families, a community pool, and partial solar power designed to help lower energy costs for residents.

News Channel 3 first previewed the development in early 2024. At the time, then-Mayor Karina Quintanilla said building more affordable housing was key for those working in the Coachella Valley.

"I'm looking forward to having conversations with people about having workforce housing," she said. "People hear the term affordable housing, and it seems to be a negative idea, but it's not. When we realize we have to have people that work nearby, we also have to have a place for our workforce to live."

News Channel 3 spoke with two families who have struggled in recent years, but said finding a stable place to live that fits within their budget is giving them a brighter future for their kids.

"It gives me a lot of hope. You know, we have there's so much to look forward to in life," said Megan Makula. She battled through drug addiction, but has since recovered, and regained custody of her two children. "And now that we have a stable home, I think that's out of the question. You know, it's only up from here now."

And for her two kids, who have autism and ADHD, the new complex offered a perfect place for them, with several of its family-oriented amenities – like an afterschool program provided by YMCA.

Naomi Sandoval and her four kids have also faced struggles: "I was living in a hotel, it was hotel to hotel. And I'm like, you know what, I have to I can't do that for my kids, you know, I don't want them thinking that that lifestyle is okay."

She eventually moved to a studio apartment in Desert Hot Springs – a small space to share with her four children. And with her kids growing older and looking for more space for themselves, she applied to The Crossings.

In recent months, her family was given the opportunity to live at the new apartments. Below, you can see their smiles on the day they moved into their new place.

She said the process was uncertain and at some points, she was on the brink of giving up her search. It's something she said is common among struggling families in search of low-cost alternatives.

"Do you think a lot of people are in that position where they give up because there's not enough affordable housing out here?" News Channel 3 asked Sandoval.

"To be honest, Yes. Yes. That… I was going to be one of them, to be honest," she admitted.

Palm Desert Mayor Evan Trubee said the city was already doing well when it came to providing low-cost housing options for its residents. According to the mayor, it exceeded its goals and requirements. Still, he admitted there is still work to be done, and pointed to new affordable housing projects that are on the horizon.

The city broke ground on Palm Villas at Millennium, which will create 240 affordable apartment units when the project is completed.

Riverside County Supervisor Manuel Perez also pointed to success in the Fourth District, which includes the Coachella Valley, in creating affordable options.

"The County of Riverside – and the Fourth District alone – is leading the charge, sometimes 3 to 1 in comparison to other districts in the county of Riverside as to how much housing we're building. And we're also beating a lot of other counties throughout the state of California," said the supervisor. "And I appreciate that we're on the right track."

After hearing the success stories for the Makula and Sandoval families, Mayor Trubee said those are the outcomes they hope for when these projects are created.

"When we were part of this process as part of the City Council, [the project is] just black and white. It's a number. It's a name," he recounted. "But to see those two residents come forward to speak was absolutely moving. Their journey to get here... and they didn't give up."

"Now we have a home for these people that can get on with the lives and have stability for the families. It's a beautiful thing."