Civil Municipal View Feb2023

97 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 DESERT HOT SPR INGS , CAL I FORNI A another of Yerxa’s creations, a 4-story high Hopi- style dwelling remains, and is now known as Cabot’s Pueblo, a treasure that celebrates the early beginnings of the community. Today Desert Hot Springs is a vibrant city in California’s Coachella Valley, with a population of close to 39,000. As the only city in the Coachella Valley that you don’t drive through when traveling on Highway 111, Mayor Scott Matas quips, “I tell people, you have to have a reason to come north of the freeway.” Sharing that there is more than one reason to visit Desert Hot Springs, he says, “We are on an aquifer that captures hot water, so visitors can come here and relax in our hot mineral spas. We have some of the greatest hiking. We have access to Joshua Tree and the Sand and Snow monument. Desert Hot Springs is a working community with a lot of families, and it has a lot to offer when it comes to that.” Describing the evolution of the community since its incorporation, the mayor adds, “The 60’s, Sean Smith Economic Development Director Mayor Scott Matas Daniel Porras Assistant City Manager Luke Rainey City Manager