Sept. 11 Weekly Briefing: New single-family development planned, home prices stagnate, museum reopening, and more

Happy Thursday! You likely saw the news that a student at Indio High School tested positive for tuberculosis, but good news: county health officials say there’s no ongoing risk to the community and the student is expected to make a full recovery. If you’re worried, the county said they sent out exposure notification letters to anyone who may have had ongoing contact with the student between April and the end of May. The county’s website said signs of an active TB infection include a persistent cough, fever, night sweats, and unexplained weight loss, but the disease is only spread during prolonged repeated close contact with someone who has infectious TB.

🎶 Setting the mood: “One More Cup of Coffee” by Bob Dylan

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LEADING OFF

34-home subdivision approved near Calhoun Street, Dr. Carreon Boulevard

Indio’s Planning Commission on Wednesday recommended approval of a new 34-lot single-family residential subdivision on a vacant 5.6-acre site near the intersection of Calhoun Street and Dr. Carreon Boulevard.

Driving the news: The Sandpiper project will subdivide one existing parcel into 34 residential lots with homes ranging in size from about 2,500 square feet to 2,800 square feet. 

• According to planning documents, home prices are expected to be about $500,000, less than the city’s median detached home price of $619,000.

Details: The project site is surrounded by existing residential development, with single-family housing to the north, south and west, and multi-family residential development to the east.

Yes but: Commissioner Gloria Franz questioned the housing type, asking, “Is there a reason why not town homes or any other style of houses weren’t discussed? We always need to get single family detached homes.”

• A representative for the developer responded that the project is a continuation of a plan that had been previously approved.

What else: Before voting to recommend approval, the Planning Commission added a requirement to replace Australian willow trees with honey mesquite, a more native plant species. 

What to watch for: The Planning Commission’s recommendation now goes to the City Council for final approval.

Dive deeper with our complete story 

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BRIEFLY

🏠 Housing prices stagnate, inventory way up

The latest Desert Housing Report for August 2025 shows that housing prices and sales are mostly in line with seasonal trends, though prices have stagnated year-over-year.

• Indio’s median detached home price fell to $619,000 in August, down 2% from last year, while attached homes averaged $279,000, down 3%. The median price of a detached home in the valley is $648,000, just a .1% decrease from the year before. Every city except for Cathedral City and Indian Wells saw lower median prices in August compared to the year before.
  
• Homes are taking longer to sell, with valley properties averaging 60 days on the market compared to 48 days last year. Indio homes took 65 days to sell as inventory in the city increased 34% with 406 homes for sale compared to 301 the year before.
  
• Bottom line: Supply is starting to exceed demand in most price brackets, while the average 30-year mortgage rate dropped to 6.28% on Monday, the lowest level in nearly a year.

Dive deeper with our complete story

⛪️ Our Lady of Guadalupe pilgrimage canceled over immigration fears

Organizers of an annual walk in December to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe announced the cancellation of the event amid fears in the community over recent immigration crackdowns.

• This year on Dec. 12, thousands of Catholic faithful will miss out on the annual 30-mile walk from Palm Springs to Coachella to honor Our Lady of Guadalupe. 
  
• “With everything going on in the different communities, we’re looking for a safer environment. We don’t think it’ll be safe to have this pilgrimage this year,” Jacqueline Macias, St. Teresa Catholic Church Business Manager told KESQ. 
  
• Zoom out: It’s not an isolated cancellation, the Mexican Cultural Center of Northern California canceled a planned celebration and civic ceremony to honor Hispanic Heritage month and Chicago events tied to Mexican Independence Day were canceled.

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YOUR WEEKEND

Healthy Desert Healthy You Environmental Health Summit
Today | 8 a.m. | Westin Mission Hills, Rancho Mirage
More than 20 speakers will converge today at the Healthy Desert, Healthy You Summit, tackling issues relating to healthy communities and the intersectionality of climate, health, and equity. Check out the full schedule here.

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony and Memorial Groundbreaking
Today | 9 a.m. | Miles Park
The city of Indio invites all community members to gather in remembrance of the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Immediately following the remembrance, the City will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Indio 9/11 Memorial featuring a 12-foot-tall steel artifact from the former World Trade Center. Check out some renderings of the future memorial and see where in the park it will be located in our previous story.

Indio High School vs. Western Christian
Friday | 7 p.m. | Indio High School, Ed White Stadium
Cheer on the Rajahs during this season’s Desert Valley League action. ($11)

MiChavela Contest and Celebration
Saturday | 4 p.m. | Indio Taphouse
Join the celebration of Mexican Independence Day weekend at the first ever MiChavela Contest featuring some of the valley’s best niche vendors who will have pop ups at the event. There will be live entertainment, a full bar and beer garden, Mariachi performances, and a contest for the best chavela. RSVP online here for free entry.

“Dolores” film screening
Saturday | 4:30 p.m. | The Place
Come down to The Place for a free screening of the 2017 documentary “Dolores,” illustrating the life and work of activist Dolores Huerta, who was dedicated to improving conditions for migrant farm workers and co-founded the National Farm Workers Association. Plus, enjoy a specialty matcha drink from La Casa Verde.

Viva Indio! A tribute to Hispanic Heritage
Saturday | 5 p.m. | Downtown Indio
The city is putting on a free event celebrating Hispanic heritage and culture with live music from Las Tías, Mariachi and Ballet Folklórico performances, a kids’ zone, piñata-making, local food vendors, and a special appearance from the Firebirds hockey team’s mascot, Fuego!

Check out more events in our community calendar

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AND FINALLY …

History buffs and culture seekers, if you’ve been missing the Coachella Valley History Museum during its summer hiatus, never fear! The museum reopens tomorrow with a fresh logo and an exciting slate of events.

Driving the news: The Indio museum is positioning itself as more than just a repository of artifacts, emphasizing its role as a community gathering space that has hosted everything from hip hop performances to its annual Día de los Muertos celebrations.

• Check out our story on their plans for a cool historic train car.

The details: The museum will operate Friday, Saturday, and Monday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with Sunday hours from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

• Starting October 4-5, the first full weekend of each month will feature free admission during designated Community Weekends.

Why it matters: The museum’s diverse programming and exhibitions aim to represent the various cultures and stories that have shaped the Coachella Valley into its current form.