Welcome back to The Weekly Wrap, our Friday roundup of stories that explain the problems oppressing people in cities and elevate the solutions that bring us closer to economic, environmental and social justice.

p.s. The Next City team will be on a staff retreat next week and then we’ll be off on July 4th. We’ll be back in your inbox with The Weekly Wrap on July 11th!

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ICE Agents Denied Entry To Dodger Stadium

The Los Angeles Dodgers said that it denied ICE agents from entering its stadium parking lot on Thursday, according to The Guardian.

“This morning, ICE agents came to Dodger Stadium and requested permission to access the parking lots,” the team said in a post on X. “They were denied entry to the grounds by the organization. Tonight’s game will be played as scheduled.”

The LA Times reports that the Department of Homeland Security said it was Customs and Border Patrol agents (not ICE) who were at the stadium, but not for an operation.

Hours before the game, protesters gathered outside of the stadium, USA Today reports.

Proposed Federal Budget Cuts Threaten HUD Programs

Housing advocates are worried that states won’t be able to fill rental aid gaps if the Trump cuts go through, Stateline reports. The preliminary plan for the 2026 fiscal budget includes a 44% cut to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, with a 43% reduction in rental assistance programs.

Stateline notes that the cuts are in line with suggestions from Project 2025, like limiting a person’s time on federal assistance. Experts say the proposal would completely change how rental assistance programs work. “It combines five of these programs that millions of people rely on, cuts the funding almost in half, and then leaves it completely to states to decide how to use that funding,” Sonya Acosta, senior policy analyst at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, told the outlet.

The changes would also disproportionately impact people with children, older adults and individuals with disabilities.

Chicago Nonprofit Launches Redevelopment Grant Fund, With Investment From City

The city of Chicago is investing $3.5 million into the Wealth Our Way grant program, The Chicago Sun-Times reports. Led by the nonprofit Community Desk Chicago, the program will provide funding to worker cooperatives and Community Investment Vehicles to redevelop vacant buildings in their neighborhood.

Community Desk anticipates granting money to 10 organizations, and a “minimum of six real estate projects will receive funding at a maximum of $500,000 each, covering up to 75% of the total development costs,” according to the outlet.

One of the program’s goals is to spur redevelopment in neighborhoods that have lacked access to funding in recent decades.

NAACP and the Southern Environmental Law Center Intend to Sue Elon Musk’s Company xAI

The NAACP and Southern Environmental Law Center notified Elon Musk’s xAI company of their intent to sue over facility pollution, AP reports. The company began operating near predominantly Black communities in Memphis in 2024 without applying for a permit. Its facility is powered in part by pollution-emitting gas turbines, which opponents say emit smog and carbon dioxide, according to the outlet.

xAI has responded to the lawsuit notice by saying it takes its commitment to the community and environment seriously.

Residents in Boxtown, a neighborhood near the facility that has dealt with pollution for decades, have called for Memphis to unite against the company. “There is not a person, no matter how wealthy or how powerful, that can deny the fact that everybody has a right to breathe clean air,” Rep. Justin J. Pearson told AP. He also compared the fight against xAI to David and Goliath.

5 Sanctuary Cities Sue the Department of Homeland Security

Boston, Denver, San Francisco and Seattle joined Chicago in filing an amended complaint against the Department of Homeland Security to restore counterterrorism funds, Smart Cities Dive reports. Chicago previously filed a suit in federal court because it had not been able to access reimbursements for pre-approved spending through the Securing the Cities program, which provides 13 high-risk urban areas with resources to prevent nuclear and other terrorist threats.

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MORE NEWS

• Trump administration will end LGBTQ suicide prevention service New York Times

• More Philly developers are looking to build artist and maker spaces like the Bok building The Philadelphia Inquirer

• The truth about Trump’s proposed cash-for-kids savings scheme The New Yorker

• Airbnb projects $70 million economic boost for Atlanta during 2026 FIFA World Cup WSB Radio

• Housing advocates worry states can’t fill rental aid gaps if Trump cuts go through Stateline

• Plastic bag fees and bans help limit coastal litter, study finds The Washington Post

• ‘Appalling’: NYCHA has over 8K vacant apartments as New Yorkers face housing crunch Gothamist

• Making housing affordable: How government can finance homes at low cost Nonprofit Quarterly

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• PolicyLink and the USC Equity Research Institute launched the Bay Area Equity Atlas, a survey of recent trends in Black homeownership, housing burden, and intra-regional migration.

• The Cartier Women’s Initiative, an entrepreneurship program for mission-driven founders around the world, is accepting applications from women-led businesses that aim to create social or environmental impact. Apply by June 24.

• The Walter and Elise Haas Fund is providing general operating support to 25 initiatives rooted in Oakland or San Francisco that promote social cohesion. Submit a letter of interest by June 27.

• The Bank of America Charitable Foundation is funding projects related to stable housing and empowering communities. Submit your proposal by June 30.

• The Saks Fifth Avenue Foundation’s local grant program is accepting applications from nonprofits supporting mental health initiatives in their own community. Apply by July 1.

• Forecast is hiring a research fellow to explore how public art contributes to civic engagement and democratic participation. Apply by July 13.

• The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Evidence for Action has a call for proposals for new research that advances racial and Indigenous health equity. Apply by July 16. (Disclosure: RWJF currently funds Next City.)

• Open Society Foundations is accepting applications for its Leadership in Government Fellowship. The deadline is July 24 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern. (Disclosure: Next City board chairman Eric Shaw is a current fellow.)

• Norfolk Southern’s Thriving Communities Grant and the Safety First Grant are accepting applications for initiatives that drive community resilience and local economic development; public safety and first responder readiness; and sustainability and workforce development. Apply by Sept. 1.

• Check out Next City’s jobs board for new opportunities.

EVENTS

• June 24 at 10 a.m. Eastern: Pew Charitable Trusts and States Newsroom are hosting an event to explore how states are navigating an era of uncertainty.

• June 25 at 4 p.m. Eastern: ProPublica is hosting a virtual conversation about the growing architecture of U.S. Immigration Enforcement.

• June 30 at 1 p.m. Eastern: The Build Healthy Places Network is holding a webinar on how public health and community development practitioners can leverage solidarity to reshape narratives that drive change.

• July 8-17: Next City is hosting its 2nd annual EcoMetropolis film festival, a powerful four-part film series exploring the intersections of environment, race, memory and place through a mix of short and feature-length films.

• Check out events from Next City and our partners here!

This post was originally published on Next City.