Desert Hot Springs California CA Warrant Search

Desert Hot Springs, California Desert Hot Springs, also known as DHS, is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. The city is located within the Coachella Valley geographic region, sometimes referred to as the Desert Empire. The population was 16,582 at the 2000 United States Census. Rapid development and high population growth since the 1970s, when there were 2,500 to 6,000 residents[citation needed], brought the city to an estimated 25,000 residents in the year 2008.[citation needed] History In 1913 the first homesteader in the area was Cabot Yerxa, who discovered hot water on Miracle Hill. Due to the San Andreas Fault bisecting the hill, one side has cold water, the other has hot. His large adobe, hand built by Yerxa over 20 years, is now one of the oldest adobe structures in Riverside County, and houses Cabot's Pueblo Museum, designated a state historical site after his death in 1965. Cabot's Trading Post & Gallery opened in February 2008.The town was founded by L. W. Coffee on July 12, 1941. The original town site was centered at the intersection of Palm Drive and Pierson Boulevard and was only one square mile. Coffee chose the name Desert Hot Springs because of the area's natural hot springs.Desert Hot Springs became a tourist destination in the 1950s because of its small spa hotels and boutique hotels. The city's seclusion appealed to urban 'escapees.'Realtors arrived to speculate, and thousands of lots and streets were laid out over a six square mile area. Some homes were bought by retirees and the area incorporated as a city in 1963, with 1,000 residents.Desert Hot Springs experienced periods of significant growth in the 1980s and 1990s, when most of the vacant lots were filled with new houses and duplex apartments. The city's population doubled in the 1980s and increased by 5,000 in the 2000 census.In 1993, a 3-star hotel, Mirage Springs Hotel Resort opened in DHS. Despite good reviews and providing much needed financial revenue to DHS, Mirage Springs closed its doors in 1998. Another hotel, the Miracle Springs Resort and Spa, has since occupied the site.Desert Hot Springs High School opened in 1999, two new public parks and several country clubs were proposed. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 23.3 square miles (60.3 km²), of which, 23.2 square miles (60.2 km²) of it is land and 0.04 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.13%) is water. Geology The fact of being situated atop one of the finest natural hot mineral water aquifers in America is a unique geological feature of Desert Hot Springs, although no spring is visible, as each is capped by either a hotel or Mission Springs Water District. It figures prominently into the local tourism industry as there are many spas here. It is, as well, located at the Morongo Canyon Runoff, Morongo Basin. There are numerous electrical wind farm windmills, or aerogenerators, San Gorgonio Pass Wind Farm, just slightly southwest of the city, adjacent to North Palm Springs, & Whitewater.Guests at various hotels and spas can enjoy the soothing naturally occurring hot mineral water that is pumped up from the depths of the earth. Desert Hot Springs is a popular exclusive retreat for celebrities seeking the comfort of modern resort life. The city also boasts pure and delicious award-winning drinking water. Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 16,582 people, 5,859 households, and 3,755 families residing in the city. The population density was 713.2 people per square mile (275.4/km²). There were 7,034 housing units at an average density of 302.5/sq mi (116.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 68.2% white, 6.1% black or African American, 1.4% Native American, 2.0% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 16.4% from other races, and 5.8% multiracial. 40.4% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.There were 5,859 households out of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.3% were married couples living together, 17.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 35.9% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.8 and the average family size was 3.5.In Desert Hot Springs the age of the population was spread out with 33.3% under the age of 18, 9.7% from 18 to 24, 29.4% from 25 to 44, 16.5% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 96.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.6 males. Desert Hot Springs has a reputation as an active adult community, where many retirees choose to live.The median income for a household in the city was $25,987, and the median income for a family was $29,126. Males had a median income of $27,873 versus $21,935 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,954. About 22.4% of families and 27.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 37.1% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over, one of the highest for cities over 10,000 in southern California. Politics In the state Legislature, Desert Hot Springs is located in the 37th Senate District, represented by Republican Bill Emmerson and in the 80th Assembly represented by Democrat Manuel Perez. Desert Hot Springs is located in California's 41st congressional district, which has a Cook PVI of R +9[3] and is represented by Republican Jerry Lewis.Desert Hot Springs is represented at the County level by 5th Riverside County Supervisor District served by Marian Ashley.While the city is located in one of the areas hardest hit by the nationwide mortgage meltdown that has found many cities in financial difficulty, in the 2008/09 fiscal year, the city was the only city in the Coachella Valley to have a balanced budget. At its mid-year review, Desert Hot Springs posted a balanced budget. Revenues had fallen just 5 percent but the city had made ongoing spending reductions amounting to 7 percent.The city is a city manager form of government.Desert Hot Springs is served by Mayor Yvonne Parks, Mayor Pro. Tem. Russell Betts, and Council Members Scott Matas, Jan Pye and Karl Baker. Its city manager is Rick Daniels.The city is presently undergoing extensive infrastructure improvements, including repaving of over 37 miles of residential streets. After years of focus on undeveloped areas of the city, the city government has shifted its focus towards downtown revitalization, including a multi-million downtown façade program. While Desert Hot Springs is a California charter city, the city council requires all city funded projects to pay prevailing wage. Many California cities seek charter city status specifically for the purpose of avoiding payment of prevailing wage rates.City Hall is located at 65950 Pierson Blvd, Desert Hot Springs, CA 92240 Public safety The Desert Hot Springs Police Department was established in 1997 after residents complained to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department about being underserved by a part-time deputy from the Palm Desert regional station. The police department is headed by Desert Hot Springs Police Chief Patrick Williams who was hired in 2006. Williams in credited with a significant drop in the city's crime rate. Desert Hot Springs is unique among California cities in that it has continued to hire officers sworn police officers while other California cities are laying off police officers over budget concerns. The city has hired 10 additional officers in the last two years (2009/2010).In two separate municipal ballot measures, Desert Hot Springs residents approved a utility users tax and a public safety tax by majorities of over 75 percent. Both measures provide added funding to the police department and other public safety services.The City contracts out for fire protection and emergency medical services (EMS) with the Riverside County Fire Department through a cooperative agreement with CAL FIRE California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Riverside County Fire Station 37 has 1 paramedic engine company. Riverside County Fire Station 36 covers the west end of the city with a paramedic engine company. Municipal bankruptcy The City of Desert Hot Springs fought a discrimination lawsuit for more than 10 years, and lost. It was ordered to pay about $3 million to the plaintiff who had proved discrimination. The City spent several years and about another $9 million trying to avoid paying the $3 million judgment. That led to Desert Hot Springs filing for bankruptcy (the second city in the history of the U.S. to do so). The bankruptcy was resolved with the city securing bonds to pay the judgment.The city is now operating with a balanced budget. Boutique hotels and spas Desert Hot Springs is home to a number of hot mineral water spas. During the 1950s and 1960s the town had over 80 spa hotels, often called 'spa-tels.' From the late 1990s to the present a number of these boutique hotels have been renovated and revived. With their mid-century modern architecture they appeal to those wanting a unique hotel / spa experience.Several spa hotel properties cater to the Asian population, primarily Korean.One famous spa hotel property in Desert Hot Springs is Two Bunch Palms Resort. In the 1990s it appeared in the movie The Player.Other spas in Desert Hot Springs include Bella Monte Hot Springs Resort and Spa, Miracle Manor Retreat, The Miracle Springs Resort and Spa, the Desert Hot Springs Spa Hotel and The Spring Resort and Spa.In 2008, two Desert Hot Springs spas were listed on Tripadvisor's list of top ten 'Best Hidden Gem' spas: El Morocco Inn and Spa and the Living Waters Spa.In 2009, two Desert Hot Springs spas were listed on Tripadvisor's list of top ten 'Best Hidden Gem' and 'Best Service' spas: Sagewater Spa, and the Living Waters Spa.Most spa hotel property in Desert Hot Springs feature natural hot mineral water that is unique in that it has no sulfer odor as is common at other hot springs type resorts. Modernist architecture Originally, there were 43 small spas (6 to 10 guest rooms) in the city. Some were located atop the center of the hot water aquifer on miracle hill, where Cabot Yerxa, the first settler lived. His house is now a museum. Across the street is Miracle Manor Retreat, one of the first spas built (1949) in the town and the first on miracle hill. It was built by the Martin Family who eventually sold it in 1981 to a local legend, Lois Blackhill. Upon her passing in 1996, her family sold it in 1997, to two longtime regulars and close friends of Lois', trans-media designer April Greiman and architect-educator Michael Rotondi. It was restored to its original state, with improvements and renamed Miracle Manor Retreat. They are credited with pioneering the 'boutique spa' movement in the city. Desert Hot Springs is the home of the Desert Hot Springs Hotel, designed by architect John Lautner. The hotel was purchased and restored in 2000 by Steven Lowe.In 2006 the architectural firm of Marmol Radziner + Associates designed a sustainable, modernist prefab home featured in the November 2006 issue of Dwell (magazine).[dead link] The home served as a prototype for the firm's efforts to develop a series of prefab homes.