Some residents concerned as Well in the Desert brings in homeless

Some Palm Springs residents want homeless people who are moving into their neighborhood kicked out. They say they are concerned for their safety as transients take to their streets.

“We know our rapists, pedophiles [in our neighborhood]. We keep them in check all day. When someone else is coming in from outside the area, we don’t know their M.O., we don’t know what they are doing, we don’t know what they look like,” said Desert Highland Gateway resident Laymond Gray.

Another resident recounted her family’s run-in with a homeless person in their neighborhood.

“He was knocking on the window, knocking on the door yelling,” resident Lucy Petek said.

Some residents in the Desert Highland Gateway Estates in Palm Springs said they want the homeless population and the organization that helps them, Well in the Desert, out of their neighborhood.

“To have this placed in our community, a residential area right in the front, it’s just not a good thing. I’m hoping that we could come out in a happy situation where everybody is not worried or nervous or scared,” Petek said.

Residents voiced their concerns with the Palm Springs homelessness subcommittee.

One resident in the meeting said Well in the Desert, is operating in an area that’s zoned residential.
Well in the Desert representatives declined to comment.
City manager David Ready said the zoning issue will be looked at by the planning commission.

“The question is, ‘can what they are doing be compatible with zoning in the neighborhood?’ That’s what we need to look at, that’s what we need to remedy. If there is not a remedy then we will have to ask [Well in the Desert] to modify what they do out of that facility,” Ready said.

It is not clear when the planning commission will make a decision.

The subcommittee will have its next meeting in April.