Palm Springs City Manager Scott Stiles Announces Retirement

PALM SPRINGS, CA — Palm Springs City Manager Scott Stiles will retire on Nov. 1, ending a 43-year career in public service that included more than three years leading the desert resort community, it was announced Tuesday.

Stiles, who assumed the position in March 2023, navigated the city through major natural disasters and civic investments during his tenure.

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His administration secured $50 million in emergency bridge funding following Tropical Storm Hilary in 2023 and helped coordinate recovery assistance for local businesses affected by a May 2025 car bombing at a regional fertility clinic.

Stiles also oversaw the launch of the city's Navigation Center, a 135-unit emergency housing facility for individuals experiencing homelessness, and managed balanced biennial budgets alongside a strategic pension funding plan that directed $28 million to CalPERS.

Major infrastructure and community projects launched or completed during his term include:

• The restoration and reopening of the historic Plaza Theatre and the Thompson Hotel.
• The $135 million expansion and modernization of the Palm Springs Convention Center.
• Renovation planning for the Sunrise Park Library, a new Fire Station 1, and the Palm Springs International Airport Master Plan.

"Scott brought decades of experience, steady leadership, and an unwavering commitment to public service to Palm Springs," Mayor Naomi Soto said in a statement. "He helped guide our city through extraordinary challenges while moving forward important projects and investments that will benefit our residents for generations."

Before his appointment in Palm Springs, Stiles served in various municipal leadership roles across his four-decade career in public administration.

"It has been the honor of my professional life to serve as City Manager of Palm Springs," Stiles said. "None of these achievements happens because of one person — they are the result of talented and dedicated employees, strong leadership from our City Council, and a community that cares deeply about the future of Palm Springs."

City officials said details regarding the search and recruitment process for Stiles' successor will be announced in the coming weeks.