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LPMI State Download 🏛️| Affordability, housing wins | Winter 2025

As 2025 comes to a close, Michigan members have been hard at work strengthening their communities, building networks, and advancing bold local policies. From connecting members and partners at regional meetups to securing renter protections and supporting families during SNAP disruptions, this season has been full of action, collaboration, and meaningful impact. Here’s a look at what we’ve achieved together and what’s ahead in 2026.

What We've Been Up To

🤝 Regional Meetups Across Southeast and Mid-Michigan

On November 12 and 13, we gathered more than 20 partners, members, organizers and prospective members across two regional meetups in Ypsilanti and Lansing. Hosted by Organizing Committee members, Ypsilanti City Council Member Amber Fellows and Delhi Township Treasurer Tom Lenard, these gatherings created space for deep connection, political grounding, and shared learning. Both meetups strengthened relationships between partners and LP members, surfaced new policy collaborations, and brought in potential new members eager to join the Michigan chapter. These events also helped us build toward more coordinated regional infrastructure heading into 2026. 

🏠 Pontiac Renters Fight Continues

Pontiac delivered one of the most significant renter protection wins in the country this year. Building on their Just Cause ordinance, Organizing Committee member and Councilman, Mikal Goodman and Mayor-Elect Mike McGuinness are now working with staff to implement the newly secured Right to Renew, Fair Notice, and Relocation Assistance policies, along with strengthened Just Cause provisions.

The new protections guard renters from arbitrary or retaliatory evictions, require landlords to provide 180 days notice of lease renewal intentions, and mandate up to two months of relocation assistance when a landlord refuses to renew a lease without cause. These are among the most expansive renter protections in the nation and represent a major step forward in housing justice for Michigan, and we are excited to see how the rest of their policy wins begin to take shape in the new year.

❤️ Michigan Members Respond to SNAP Cuts

Across the state, LP members mobilized quickly to support residents impacted by the federal suspension of SNAP benefits. From volunteering at food banks to advancing practical relief measures, Michigan leaders demonstrated what responsive, community centered governance looks like. One powerful example comes from Saginaw where Councilmember Carly Hammond authored and passed an ordinance temporarily waiving all water and sewer late fees during the SNAP suspension, ensuring families were not forced between food and basic utilities at a moment of crisis. 

Carly shared her ordinance with our Local Progress members, and Mount Clemens Commissioner Spencer Calhoun advanced and passed a similar measure waiving water bill late fees for SNAP recipients. Ensuring families in his community would not have to go without. Their leadership sparked conversations statewide, with leaders in Ypsilanti, Ann Arbor, and Detroit quickly exploring how similar protections could support their own residents in the final days of the shutdown and beyond. 

A selfie of two people at a food drive.

💵 Affordability for All Policy Agenda

As affordability continues to be the top concern for Michigan residents, we are excited to share a new policy resource in partnership with the State Innovation Exchange and the Groundwork Collaborative, the Local Progress Impact Lab released Affordability for All: An Agenda to Bring Down Costs for Working People.

This agenda outlines 10 bold, progressive, policy solutions aimed at lowering costs across key areas: 

  • Food
  • Energy
  • Housing
  • Healthcare and Childcare
  • Consumer Pricing
Resources and Actions

➡️ From Campaigns to Governance: A Partner’s Guide to Building Our Base Together

Since January, Local Progress has welcomed more than 400 new members, and with elections over, we need your support to ensure new and returning officials know there is a place for them! You can help by identifying local elected officials to join the Local Progress network — leaders who are centering racial and economic justice in their local work, building with and collaborating with movement and labor partners, and ready to govern with vision and integrity in the face of opposition. Check out our partner’s guide. 

 

⚖️ Help Map Preemption Threats: Nationwide Survey for Local Attorneys

State preemption attacks are increasing and disproportionately harming cities and counties. Our partners at the Local Solutions Support Center are conducting a national survey of city and county attorneys to better understand these challenges and to develop strategies for coordinated pushback. Please share this survey with your city or county attorney.

 

☕ Take Action Today, stand with Starbucks Workers United!

Starbucks workers have been organizing for years, with the Starbucks Workers United movement kicking off in 2021 in Buffalo, NY, where they won their first successful unionization campaign. Across the country, Starbucks baristas are fighting for a fair first contract that increases take-home pay, improves hours and scheduling, and resolves labor violations. We are standing strong with these workers who are bravely striking and calling on Starbucks to stop their union-busting activities and come back to the table. Here’s how you can help: 

 

💰 Join Working Families Power’s Affordability Briefing 

Everyone is talking about “affordability” now, but what are the real populist solutions that will make life affordable for working-class people? What are the biggest economic concerns of working families, and who do they think is responsible for their struggles? 

This briefing, put on by our friends at Working Families Power, is geared towards elected officials and candidates for office. It will cover the results of our recent working-class polling, which focused on current events, populist economic policy solutions, and narrative frameworks for describing the current economic situation in the United States. They’ll share effective messages for reaching working-class voters in language they relate to and about issues they care about. The briefing is on December 14 at 4:00 PM ET.

Member Spotlight

Christopher Runberg, Bay City Commission

Christopher Runberg has played a critical role in protecting his community from Flock surveillance technology and the growing issue of Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs) in Michigan. For months the Bay City Commission, community members, and city staff were bombarded with advertisements and pressured by the local public safety department to vote yes on these contracts. With the help of the ACLU of Michigan, Chris, his LP colleagues on council, were able to show Flock that the community would not support adopting these contracts. His leadership, commitment to engaging a broad network of stakeholders, and determination helped secure a major win for civil liberties in Bay City. The fight continues in many cities across Michigan, and Local Progress has resources available to help you in your community’s fight to protect privacy and civil liberties.

save the date

We are excited to share that our 2026 National Convening will be in Baltimore, MD on July 9-11! Local Progress’s annual National Convening is a space to exchange ideas, seek inspiration, and strategize together. It’s the place to feel seen in our struggles and affirmed in our resolve and resilience, and, most importantly, to find support and share joy – especially in the darkest moments. More details and registration information will be coming in the new year, but for now we are excited to share the dates so you can plan ahead. 

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