County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez Chats With Realtors

www.cdaronline.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:

April 30, 2018 Diane Busch, CDAR President

(760) 346-5637

Editors: With photo

(Media) John Hussar

PRNewsWorks (760) 567-8073

County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez Touts Success at April California Desert Association of REALTORS® Town Hall

PALM DESERT (Calif.) – Riverside County Fourth District Supervisor V. Manuel Perez updated his accomplishments regarding the Salton Sea, economic development and other social programs to about 50 real estate professionals at the monthly membership meeting on April 19 at The California Desert Association of REALTORS ® headquarters. Perez also pledged to continue the legacy of the late County Supervisor John J. Benoit. Perez was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown to fill Benoit’s seat 11 months ago after Benoit passed away Dec. 26, 2016 after a battle with cancer.

Perez, whose 5,000 square mile district extends from Desert Hot Springs, through the Coachella Valley to the Salton Sea and east to Blythe, was praised by CDAR President Diane Busch as “a real friend to the real estate community.” Perez said as a former state assemblyman for three terms he worked closely with CDAR officials. “We were on the same page nine out of 10 times and I thank you for your advocacy and keeping me accountable on the issues.”

Perez said he had “big shoes to fill” but he wanted to keep on track with Benoit’s legacy as a supervisor. Benoit was a state assemblyman and a state senator before being appointed as a county supervisor after the death of Supervisor S. Roy Wilson in 2009.

In a “breaking news” moment, Perez said he had just been informed that Gov. Brown has endorsed the concept that the Jacqueline Cochran Regional Airport in Thermal could eventually become a customs airport which would be a great boon to Coachella Valley’s agriculture industry and other businesses to ship out their products. “It’s a first step and we have more to go for the federal designation,” Perez said.

The supervisor said recent strides in streamlining the process of doing business in the county will enhance new home development that would be welcome news to real estate professionals. “We need to bring more projects to Riverside County and that takes an attitude shift, a real we are open for business attitude shift.” He said he is helping to beef up the county’s economic development department with additional funds. He said Riverside County has 20,000 employees, 50 departments and a $5.5 billion budget.

He said public safety takes up two-thirds of the budget and is growing at an unsustainable rate of 7 percent annually. Still, public protection is number one priority and is illustrated by the new $330 million, 1,626-bed John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, which is expected to open this fall.

Perez said he supports vacation rentals as a “hospitality issue” to supplement the 16,000 hotel rooms in the Coachella Valley and accommodate the growing number of tourists to the valley for myriad activities including the Coachella Music Festival which brings 125,000 music lovers to the desert for two weekends each and as many for the subsequent Stagecoach Music Festival.

Another issue that could ultimately affect real estate and growth of the Coachella Valley is the Salton Sea. Perez outlined the North Lake Vision, consisting of two projects aimed at reducing the probability of shrinking shorelines causing an ecological and economic problems. He said there will be a bond issue on the June 5 ballot to begin a major project on the south end of the Salton Sea in the Imperial Valley.

Of social programs, Perez said Desert Hot Springs is about to get a new much larger 15,000-square-foot library and there are plans underway for the first ever five-acre park being built in North Shore to benefit residents in the North Shore, Thermal, Mecca area. Perez also touched on the growing homelessness problem by noting a possible $1.5 million pilot Housing First program to help the homeless to get homes following by increased services for health, behavior and other programs.

Perez and other local, state and federal legislators regularly visit with CDAR membership.

The California Desert Association of REALTORS ®, the Trusted Source for Real Estate in the Desert Communities, represents more than 3,700 real estate professionals from Palm Springs to Blythe. REALTORS® hold themselves to a higher standard via the National Association of REALTORS®’ Code of Ethics, yet only about a quarter of California licensed real estate agents are REALTORS®. For more information – or to verify you’re working with a REALTOR® – visit www.CDARonline.org or call (760) 346-5637. ###

Caption: Riverside County Supervisor V. Manuel Perez shares a moment with Diane Busch, left, president of the California Desert Association of REALTORS ® and Annette Coffey, Association Executive, CDAR.

Photo by John Hussar/PRNewsWorks