Affordable housing crisis amplifies as more luxury developments come to the valley

When the news broke last month The Walt Disney Company was developing a master-planned residential community in Rancho Mirage, many were excited about the magic of Disney popping up right in our own backyard. But for others, it exacerbated existing concerns about affordable housing and where people who work at such luxury resorts can live.

There are signs that construction is about to begin on the new Storyliving by Disney community, which is called Cotino, including bulldozers on the site and a chain link fence being put up around the property.

The massive 618-acre project is being called the largest in Rancho Mirage's history.

Melissa Daniels is a local journalist – she is well-versed in the nuances of housing in the Coachella Valley.

Her column this month in Coachella Valley Independent says Cotino likely isn't "affordable for the majority of people who work in the area—or for the workforce who will be needed to staff and run this magical and visionary destination."

Daniels asks how people who work at luxury resorts are supposed to support their families here.

New numbers out Tuesday from the California Association of Realtors show the median price for a single-family house in Riverside County is $605,030 (February 2022).

In Rancho Mirage, the average home price is more than double – over $1.2 million.

The Coachella Valley Economic Partnership said the average income for hospitality workers is less than $16,000.

Daniels said Disney told her it gives back to communities where they do business, including through financial contributions and collaborations with non-profits.

But she said without affordable housing, part of what makes the Coachella Valley such a vibrant place gets boxed out.

"This is our community," she said. "We need to make sure that we're watching these developments with an eye towards the health of the community."