Developer Betty Williams commenced construction of Phase I of the Desert Breezes Community in 1984. The “Portofino” homes include the Casa Alicante, Casa Amalfi, Casa Grande and Casa Majorca models. These are the homes to the left of the Clubhouse as you enter the main gate of the Desert Breezes community. In 1986 construction of the Antigua Homes began, which completed the build-out of the Desert Breezes community.
The owners of Portofino and Antigua Homes comprise the Desert Breezes Casas Homeowners Association.
The community is also comprised of the Desert Breezes Four Seasons timeshare homes and the Resort Villas which have their own association.
Desert Breezes Four Seasons: A "quarter share" timeshare project with 28 units and 112 owners. This is an unusual timeshare configuration because each unit has only 4 owners, each with the right to occupy for two weeks every other month and one week in August. HOA dues are: $259 per month per unit. The timeshare components of Desert Breezes are managed by Trading Places International Management (760.345.2637. The timeshare facilities include 2 pools/10 spas and reception center/clubhouse.
Desert Breezes Timeshares (CAI member since Sept '97): This is a regular weekly timeshare based community comprising 76 one and two bedroom and studio condominium units. There are 3850 owners of the time share "intervals." HOA dues are in the range: $364 - $490 per annum per interval, depending on the size of unit.
The three associations form the Desert Breezes Master Association which is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the clubhouse, tennis courts as well as the main community swimming pool and spa adjacent to the clubhouse.
Because of its many long-term and year-around residents, Desert Breezes is a well maintained community with relatively low association dues and stable resale prices.
We are happy to share this information and memorabilia with you. We have attempted to collect original sales brochures, early photos and other items which document our community’s history. If you have any items which you believe are of historical significance to our community and would like to share them, please contact the webmaster at admin@desertbreezespd.com and we will arrange to pick-up your items, scan them for the web site and return your originals to you.
Also if you have any antidotes, or other memorable events that you would like to share, or have other corrections or additions to our community history, they will be most appreciated.
Have you ever wished you had a floor plan for your home to do some interior design changes, furnture rearrangement or ever wondered what Desert Breezes Casas were like in the begining? If so click here.
The Early Years 1984 – 1993
This was the period of expansive growth in the Coachella Valley with many new country club communities being developed. Betty Williams saw the need for a resort community for non-golfers, with other amenities typical of a resort destination, namely swimming pools and tennis courts and fitness center. In the beginning, the Desert Breezes was a week-end second home for many from the coastal communities and a winter retreat for the “snow birds”.
The Desert Breezes Casas were attractively priced. We are including some of the original pricing from the early days which you can view here. Also available are the original floor plans and amenities lists for the Casas.
We don’t have many photos from these early days, but here are a few that we have been provided by community members.
In the early days hoped that trees many trees throughout the community would grow faster in order to offer more shade in summer. These wishes have come true. We now have lush trees throughout the community. This photo shows a tree that had to be recently removed because its root system was compromising underground utilities.
Before 9-11, the season was punctuated by afternoons of cocktails and balloon watching. Regrettably, the economy downturn has impacted tourism to the Valley and the balloon ride business and we have not seen as many in recent years. But we have the memories.
When Desert Breezes was first developed there were no street lights in the community. We have former resident and past board president, Cindy Finerty and the late Hal Derchan and his team to thank for lighting up Desert Breezes at night, Hal Derchan and his team devoted may hours to the engineering and overseeing the installation of our street lights.
We wish to thank Ralph and Patricia Poole, original Desert Breezes owners for providing us with the Casas sales brochures and above photos. If you have photos and other memorabilia that you would like to share them with the community please contact us. We are especially looking for the original Antigua Homes sales brochures, amenities, floor plans and original pricing sheets.
