Dear friends and partners, I’m writing to share an important and exciting update about Lift to Rise’s leadership. After more than a decade as Founder and CEO, I will be moving into a new role as Senior Advisor in July—focused on advancing long-term strategy and elevating stories that move people to join our movement to…
WHAT It’s that time of year again! The Annual Community Investment Awards return on Saturday, March 7, 2026, with the theme, Lift Up! We’ll be honoring some of the incredible advocates and organizations who have spent the past year driving affordable housing and economic stability for Coachella Valley residents. WHEN Saturday, March 7, 2026 In…
California’s housing shortage is a well-documented crisis—but here in the Coachella Valley, strategic collaboration is driving measurable progress. We are honored that the Los Angeles Times recently spotlighted the collective efforts behind the region’s momentum on affordable housing development. This recognition underscores the dedication and impact of our partners who are working tirelessly to address…
A coalition of 27 organizations, cities and leaders is urging that the Coachella Valley’s elected representatives in Congress work with their colleagues and the Trump administration to stop proposed cuts to federal funding that would harm residents’ health and access to affordable housing. In a letter addressed to Sens. Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff of…
A recent article in The Desert Sun shared how Lift to Rise is tracking the progress on around 9,300 affordable housing units through our Affordable Housing Pipeline Portal, including approximately 1,400 new units already open to Coachella Valley residents. Thanks to a combination of strategies, we are making significant progress toward our 10-year goal of…
Lift to Rise is excited to announce its relocation to a new mid-valley headquarters with further plans in the coming year to create a dedicated community gathering space for collaboration with its network of partners. Located at 75-175 Merle Drive in Palm Desert, the 12,000-sqare-feet campus will provide expanded and flexible workspaces for Lift to…
Six residential development projects representing a total of 803 new affordable homes for the Coachella Valley will go forward with the help of significant tax credits approved Wednesday, a boost for efforts to expand economic opportunities and create more housing residents can afford. The California Debt Limit Allocation Committee, or CDLAC, approved $254 million in…
An article in the latest issue of the well-respected Stanford Social Innovation Review includes Lift to Rise and its We Lift housing catalyst fund among examples of innovative organizations and partnerships that are part of an emerging and overdue paradigm shift in community development finance. “A New Blueprint for Financing Community Development,” by David Fukuzawa,…
Inspiring leaders and organizations working at the local, state, and national levels to increase housing affordability and economic opportunities for everyone will be honored next month at the Second Annual Community Investment Awards presented by Lift to Rise. The event’s theme, “Together we rise. No exceptions,” expresses a fundamental value held by this year’s honorees,…
A petition calling on Coachella Valley leaders to address the stark gap between the region’s high cost of living and the minimum wage has surpassed 1,000 signatures and continues to gain support. The online petition is an opportunity for residents to express their support for all Coachella Valley households to earn enough money to afford…