Sunrise Palms

California palm trees and prickly pear cacti take the place of grass lawns in the serene desert community of Sunrise Rafael. Wedged between the San Bernardino Mountain Range to the north and downtown Palm Springs to the south, this SoCal neighborhood offers residents affordable suburban housing within 4 miles of the downtown. “Me Yah Whae” means “Hello!” in the native Cahuilla Indian Language. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians owns 10% of the land in Palm Springs, including most of the land in Sunrise Rafael. The rich native history, combined with the large LGBTQ community, has given the area a distinctive artistic flavor and culture.

Single story Spanish Revival houses dot the streets of Sunrise Rafael with their distinctive red tile roofs and roasted orange palette. There are also a few modern houses, whose lighter colors and minimalistic designs make them easy to identify against the abundant terra reds and earthly browns of the neighborhood. Plentiful garages combined with wide roads make the streets highly drivable. As residents walk across the extensive sidewalks of Sunrise Rafael, they might be inspired by the panoramic San Bernardino Mountain Range that stretches across the sky. The imposing mountains contrast with the mostly flat desert landscape, which prevents the growth of tall trees.

The median house price of Sunrise Rafael is $325,000, less than half the median of the Palm Springs market. The land of the neighborhood is leased from the Cahuilla Indian Reservation, and the contract is set to expire in 2045. The Cahuilla Reservation can choose to renew the contract, renegotiate, or allow it to expire and assume control over the land and its properties. Smaller houses and simplistic architectural designs also contribute to significantly below-market prices. Realtor Peter Lavin from Links Real Estate describes the town as a “Vibrant, well-kept, affordable, condominium-style community. It’s close to downtown Palm Springs and has all the amenities and beauty that the desert has to offer.” While Palm Springs is commonly known as a winter resort colony, many of the residents in Sunrise Rafael choose to live here year-round.

Community members get exercise by hiking the mountain trails or taking a tour of the Palm Springs Wind Farm. Made famous by their appearance in Mission Impossible III, these imposing white turbines are close enough for residents to enjoy a tour, but far enough away that they can’t be heard. Homebuyers can enjoy balmy winter days by exploring some of the local parks. Nearby Victoria Park has an abundance of something that is difficult to find elsewhere in the neighborhood- grass. The park also features shade cover and a well-kept playground. Larger Ruth Hardy Park has a playground, but people of all ages are attracted to its basketball court and eight lit tennis courts.

Residents of the neighborhood enjoy the advantage of an excellent public school system, with nearby Palm Springs High School scoring an A minus on Niche. Local Vista Del Monte Elementary school and Raymond Cree Middle School score a B and B minus, respectively. After school, parents take their children to Browns BBQ and Soul Food, which serves up savory southern cuisine like crispy fried chicken and barbeque pork ribs. Locals shop at Albertson’s Grocery Store, conveniently located less than a mile and a half away. Palm Springs offers diners many distinct flavors, like the bone-in pork chop from Bar Cecil or the spicy tuna tostada from Sandfish Sushi & Whiskey.

For entertainment, residents take a 9-minute drive into Downtown Palm Springs. Sun-dried colors and rainbow art adorn the outside of eclectic bars. Native totem poles and other tribal artwork decorate street corners. Every February, residents celebrate modernism week, where over 100,000 attendees enjoy a festival highlighting modern art, architecture, fashion and culture. Nearby Coachella Valley is home to the famously surreal Coachella music festival, and many festival goers choose to lodge in Palm Springs. With cheaper than market home prices and proximity to a vibrate cultural scene, residents living in Sunrise Rafael can feel like they’ve found their own desert oasis, located just on the edge of civilization.

Written By

Connor Bryan

Video By

Luke Mancari