New Toolkit: No Secret Police
Local Progress has created the No Secret Police Local Policy Toolkit to help local governments wield their power in counties, cities and school districts to disrupt the rise in authoritarian tactics utilized by the Trump administration. The toolkit features model ordinances and guidance for how local governments can cut ties with harmful surveillance technology and detention centers in our communities, end partnerships with federal immigration enforcement agencies, and create robust sanctuary policy to keep our communities safe.Â
Local Progress Carries Faith Winter’s Legacy Forward
In a year where bold leadership has been so necessary, we are grieving the loss of a fighter and a force who served as one of the founding members of Local Progress – State Senator Faith Winter. Read our post on the lasting impact Faith had on our network and our movement.
Save the Date for the 2026 National Convening!
We are excited to share that our 2026 National Convening will be in Baltimore, MD on July 9-11! Local Progress’ 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.Â
✊ How Movement Organizers In Office Are Responding to the Rise of Authoritarianism
2025 has been a tough year for local leaders. From budget cuts to threats of arrest, work at the local level has never been more challenging or critical. At our National Convening this summer, our Deputy Communications Director, Michael Whitesides, spoke with a few members to hear firsthand about the impacts of this year, both personal and political.
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🏡 LPPA Demands a Statewide Ban on Algorithmic Rental Price Fixing
Thirteen localities across the country have taken action to ban Algorithmic Rental Price Fixing. This month, 35 of our LPPA members took this fight a step further by writing to their state legislature demanding a statewide ban on this harmful practice. “From Philadelphia to Allegheny County to Meadville, no matter the type or size of jurisdiction, families are being priced out of their homes daily as rents continue to climb and wages remain stagnant.”
🪧 POWER Act – Share The Video!
Despite strong laws on paper, Philadelphia workers still face wage theft, unsafe conditions, and retaliation. But, workers stood up, fought back, and won big for all of us! Now, 750,000 Philly workers have groundbreaking new labor protections—thanks to the leadership of domestic workers, staffing agency workers, restaurant workers, and prime sponsor and LP Board member, Councilmember Kendra Brooks!
The POWER (Protect Our Workers Enforce Rights) Act requires the city to enforce labor laws and protect workers from abusive employers. It strengthens retaliation protections; increases financial compensation when employers break the law; creates a public “Bad Actors” database for repeat violators; raises sick pay for tipped workers; and sets clear guidelines to protect immigrant workers facing abuse, and more. Check our Council Member Brooks’ new video on Facebook and Instagram to learn more!
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đź’¸ Join Working Families Power’s Affordability BriefingÂ
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?Â
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.
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đź’° Emergency Strategy Call on HUD Funding Changes for Homelessness
In November, HUD released a revised Notice of Funding Opportunity for the Continuum of Care (CoC) program that effectively cuts funding for permanent housing by more than half, and requires jurisdictions to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement, affirm that gender is a binary, criminalize homelessness, and agree to other Trump administration goals in order to continue receiving funding. CoCs across the network support individuals experiencing homelessness, often providing permanent housing to an extremely vulnerable population. This change will put 170,000 households on the street and is upending a previous two-year funding commitment where federal dollars were already awarded to organizations.
Register for our internal strategy call this Wednesday, December 17th at 11am PT / 2pm ET to breakdown these changes, their impact and what you can do. Congress is currently negotiating funding bills for 2026 – acting now is our best opportunity to reverse these extreme changes.
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đź“š 2025 Progressive Governance Labs Grow Local Elected Officials SkillsÂ
The Progressive Governance Lab (PGL), originally launched in 2016, exists to ensure that values-aligned local elected officials have the resources, assets, tools, and skills that are needed to become powerful and effective leaders. Our sessions explore how to navigate bureaucracy effectively, build an effective office, and collaborate within the organizing ecosystem. This year, Local Progress hosted five PGLs across the country and trained more than 300 electeds – including in the Bay Area and Inland Empire in California, Washington state, Baltimore, and most recently, New York City. Keep an eye out for PGLs coming to your area in 2026!Â