Our Blog + Latest News
Portland City Council member Angelita Morillo is championing a local ban on the use of algorithms to set rents, following a U.S. Justice Department antitrust lawsuit.Beth Nakamura

Portland City Council weighs ban on using algorithms to set rents

Portland, Oregon could soon be the next city to ban rental price fixing!
More than 150 students rallied in downtown Los Angeles in 2012 to voice their support for President Obama’s decision to halt the deportation of young immigrants who are in the country illegally. (Al Seib/Los Angeles Times)

Protecting Immigrant Students and Families in Our Schools

Now more than ever, educators, school staff, and school board members must use their power to maintain safe learning environments for every child, no matter where they were born.
Group photo of LP network and partners

☀️ New Partner’s Guide to Building Our Base Together! ☀️

Protesters gather in Manhattan’s Foley Square on March 10, 2025, to protest the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil. (Barry Williams / New York Daily News / Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

📎 Federal Resource Round-Up

Take action today.
East Front of the United States Capitol in Washington, DC, against blue sky and clouds. Photo: Tada Images via Shutterstock

Hundreds of State Officials Oppose Anti-Sanctuary City Act

Nearly 400 state and local electeds nationwide sent a letter to Congress today urging them to vote NO on HR 32 – a dangerous bill that would strip our communities of essential funding simply for undertaking reasonable policies that make all of us safer.

📬 LP Network Download | Local leaders protect communities, fueling a multiracial democracy, National Convening & more. | Feb 2025

Here’s a look at some of what’s happening across the Local Progress network this month.
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LPPA State Download 💌| State Strategy Meeting, national convening, member spotlight, and more! | February 2025

Check out what we’ve been up to in the new year and learn how you can activate your leadership in 2025!
Students listen to a lecture in African American literature class at Texas Southern University in Houston, in 2023. Photograph: Houston Chronicle/Hearst Newspapers/Getty Images

Federal Court Blocks Trump Administration’s Anti-Equity Executive Orders

In a major win, a federal district court in Maryland blocked Trump's the anti-DEIA EOs – protecting localities and other federal funding recipients from these baseless, discriminatory threats.
Participants in a community protest with McAllen AFT and other allies outside one of Gov. Abbott’s pro-voucher campaign stops in 2023. Photo by Clarissa Riojas.

Dozens of Texas Local Electeds Stand Firm Against Vouchers

Today, 50 local electeds across Texas sent a letter to Texas State Leadership urging them to vote NO on vouchers.
A group of people posing for a picture.

LPCA State Download 🌨️ | Growing our chapter and taking action! | February 2025

Check out what we’ve been up to in the new year and learn how you can activate your leadership in 2025!
A group of people posing for pictures on a picket line

LPCO State Download 🌨️ | Gearing up for big local wins | February 2025

From legislative action to solidarity on the picket lines, LPCO members are leading the way. Read more about how to get involved with our work in the upcoming year! ✨
A group of people posing for a photo

LPNY State Download 📣| Legislative Session, Toolkit release, and more! | February 2025

Check out what our LPNY Chapter has been up to in the new year and learn how you can activate your leadership in 2025!

Have a Media Inquiry?

Local Progress is a movement of local elected officials advancing a racial and economic justice agenda through all levels of local government. We are elected leaders who build power with underrepresented communities and fight to reshape what is possible in our localities all across the country. 

Want to get in touch with us for a story? Reach us at press@localprogress.org.

In The News

At Local Progress, we seek to make the aspirational pragmatic by showing how government can be a tool to create just and equitable outcomes and reshaping peoples’ understanding of governing from an institution to a collective responsibility. Here are some highlights of our media coverage:

Portland Street Response crisis worker Angela Sands and EMT Kaya Ascott respond to a 911 call in Portland, Ore. (Kaia Sand)

This Organization Proved There Was an Alternative to the Police. Now It’s Being Defunded.

Portland, OR proved what we all know to be true: we keep us safe. LP's Reynold Graham talks to The Nation about Portland's program.
A black and white image of Trump with a yellow background.

Ivan Luevanos-Elms and Sarah Johnson: This Is What Authoritarian Intimidation Looks Like

In this op-ed, LP ED Ivan Luevanos-Elms and former LP ED Sarah Johnson make the case that Trump's attempts to bully and intimidate local leaders is yet another sign of growing authoritarianism.
An image of someone using a phone and computer at the same time (d3sign via Getty Images)

Report: How local governments can prioritize responsible AI adoption

Earlier this month, OpenAI & Microsoft lobbyists called for a shutdown on AI regulation. Our new report details the harmful impacts of unrestricted AI on our communities and what local governments can do.
Image of a lot of people protesting and speaking out

State and local Dems form a firewall against Trump DOJ’s intimidation tactics

Across the country, the Trump administration is targeting local officials to bulldoze opposition to their agenda. Today, 190+ local officials stand in solidarity against this intimidation.

press Releases

A group of local elected officials holding a letter in the Colorado state capitol

LP Members & Union Leaders Call To Overturn WPA Veto

Municipal Officials join labor leaders to call out the Governor for rejecting this Common-Sense legislation
An image of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka

Statement: National Network of Local Officials Denounce Unjustified Arrest of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka

In response to the reported arrest and subsequent release of Newark Mayor and Local Progress member Ras Baraka, Essex County Commissioner and Local Progress Board Member A’Dorian Murray-Thomas released the following statement. 
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty who was sworn into office on Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023 speaking at the All Square restaurant in Minneapolis on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2023 where supporters gathered to celebrate her election. Mshale Staff Photo by Panashe Matemba-Mutasa

Statement: Amid Federal Threats, Local Leaders Stand Strong for True Civil Rights

In response to the Trump Administration’s so-called “civil rights” investigation into Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty’s Office, Local Progress released this statement.
A large group standing around while one person speaks at a podium.

Road To Good Cause Campaign Scores 11 Victories Across Upstate New York

The coordinated campaign of local officials expand critical renter protections to thousands of tenants, setting their sights on Rochester next.

NEW REPORT: How Local Government Can Stand Up for Workers When States Try to Stand in Their Way

This new report for Labor Day 2024 highlights ways local elected officials can advance workers rights even when facing both hostile state preemption and federal labor law preemption.