Desert Hot Springs · Land use · Senior or assisted living
Where is senior housing or assisted living allowed in Desert Hot Springs?
In Desert Hot Springs, senior housing or assisted living is needs a permit in 7 (C-N, C-G, C-D, MU-N, MU-C and 2 more) and not allowed in 4 (Desert Hot Springs use tables, read October 2026).
Key points
- Needs a permit: C-N, C-G, C-D, MU-N, MU-C, VS-M and VS-C
- Not allowed: C-H, C-BP, I-L and I-E
Find your lot's zone on the city zoning map, then read its row. Every status below was read from the Desert Hot Springs Municipal Code use tables (read October 2026). Base zones only. General information, not legal advice — check with the city before you apply.
Zones where senior housing or assisted living can go
Desert Hot Springs's code calls this use “Residential Care Facilities (commercial assisted living, nursing home)”. Each row links to the use table it comes from. A zone marked “see note” has a condition in the code, for example upper floors only or a larger lot.
| Zone | Status | Code |
|---|---|---|
| C-N Commercial Neighborhood | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.020 |
| C-G Commercial General | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.020 |
| C-D Downtown Commercial | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.12.020 |
| MU-N | Needs an administrative use permit | § 17.14.020 |
| MU-C | Needs an administrative use permit | § 17.14.020 |
| VS-M Visitor-Serving Medium | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.18.020 |
| VS-C Visitor-Serving Commercial | Needs a conditional use permit | § 17.18.020 |
Zones where it is not allowed
What else applies
- Same row is also the only residential care row, so "residential-care-large" is DROPPED (no size split). Other row: "Supportive Housing (senior citizens/congregate care housing)": S2 C-N CUP, C-G AUP, C-D CUP, C-H -, C-BP -; S3 MU-N P, MU-C P; S5 VS-M P, VS-C -; also named in S2 with section 17.08.260. Page should say assisted living and nursing homes need a CUP/AUP in commercial zones and are not listed in residential zones. S4 row name is "Residential Care Facilities" without the parenthesis.
- State law: A licensed care home for six or fewer residents is a residential use under state law (Health and Safety Code § 1566.3) and is allowed wherever homes are.
- Not covered here: Specific plan tables (S13-S17: Desert Gateway, Coachillin', Planning areas PA-1/PA-2, Desert Storage, Pierson Commercial) treated as non-base; SPA-1-02 district (S8) and PD district (S9): uses by list or case by case; Public Use Districts: zone code not given in the text; Zone names for all base codes are not stated in the packet. Overlay zones and specific plans can also change the answer.
Other uses in Desert Hot Springs
Who this affects
Frequently asked questions
Can I have senior housing or assisted living in the C-N zone in Desert Hot Springs?
Only with a conditional use permit. Desert Hot Springs's use table lists it that way in C-N (Commercial Neighborhood) (§ 17.12.020).
Can I have senior housing or assisted living in the C-H zone in Desert Hot Springs?
No. Desert Hot Springs's use table does not allow it in C-H (§ 17.12.020).
General information, not legal advice.
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