1. Presentation at H. John Heinz College of Public Management & Policy
Carnegie Mellon University
February 3, 2011
Work Highlights in Palm Springs, California
JOHN S. RAYMOND
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNITY & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
CITY OF PALM SPRINGS

2. Communities I’ve Worked
 Pittsburgh URA (Internship)
 Holyoke, Massachusetts
 Upland, California
 Palm Springs, California
 Fresno, California

3. Palm Springs
Description of the Community

4. A Palm Springs Primer
 Tourism Industry: Special Events, Indian
History, Hollywood History/Film Festival,
Architecture and Modernism, Gay
Tourism, Golf
 City Built on Indian Reservation
 Retirees: Wealthy and Poor
 Alternative Energy

5. Tourism

6. Architectural Tourism

7. Modernism

8. Modernism Week

9. Gay Tourism

10. Hollywood & Celebrity History

11. Palm Springs International Film Festival

12. Other Well Known Events
Coachella Coachella

13. Other Well Known Events
 BNP Paribas
Tennis

14. Other Well Known Events
Humana Challenge (formerly the Bob Hope Chrysler
Classic) now hosted by former President Bill Clinton

15. Golf, Golf, Golf

16. Development of Indian Land
 Palm Springs is
located on Indian
Reservation
 Tribe has sovereignty
 Has become
important economic
generator through
gaming, natural
areas

17. Retirees: Wealthy and Poor

18. Alternative Energy Industry

19. Questions of the Day
Describe my Department
What would I recommend to fix the economy?

20. Rebuilding America II Questions
 I’ll briefly describe my  My perspective on
organization, and what we should do to
give an example of a grow the broader
problem or economy, i.e. what I
opportunity we faced, think the U.S. needs
and how I addressed to do on a macro
it. level to get the
economy going.

21. Community & Economic Development
Department
 Economic Development
 Redevelopment
 Affordable Housing
 Community Development Block Grant
 Rent Control
 City Real Property Assets
 Public Art

22. Economic Development
 Business Attraction
 Business Retention
 Business Assistance
 Innovation Hub
 Other Incentive Programs

23. Redevelopment Agency
 Redevelopment of former dumpsite into
Home Depot-anchored center
 Redevelopment of failed downtown mall
 Development of new community college
campus
 Redevelopment of auto dealership
 Development of affordable housing
 Hotel reinvestment and future projects

24. Project Descriptions
Redevelopment Agency Projects we’ve done.

25. The Springs Home Depot Center

26. Downtown Mall

27. College of the Desert Campus

28. BMW Dealership

29. Affordable Housing

30. Hotel Development

31. Real Property Assets

32. Public Art

33. Other Programs/Incentives

34. My Suggestions for the Economy
Housing Market Job Creation
 Settle who takes the haircut  Innovation hubs.
on loan write-downs.
 Leverage working capital
 Bring back the NSP through other loan
program! programs (HUD 108/SBA
 Allow NSP to aggregate 504).
units into master rental
 Infrastructure!
projects.
 Housing creates (the  Incentives for greening,
illusion of?) wealth. densification – or
renaturalization.

35. Contact Information
John S. Raymond
Director of Community & Economic Development
City of Palm Springs, California
760.323.8228
John.Raymond@palmspringsca.gov
Linked In Public Profile:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/johnraymondeconomicdevelopment
Facebook:
Palm Springs Community and Economic Development Department