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.

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California Gives Lyft and Uber Drivers the Right to Unionize

A measure recently signed by California Gov. Gavin Newsom will allow more than 800,000 drivers for ride-sharing apps to join a union and bargain for better wages and benefits, the Associated Press reports.

This law is part of an agreement made this past September with Service Employees International Union, Uber, Lyft, state lawmakers and Gov. Newsom. In exchange for allowing rideshare drivers to join a union while remaining independent contractors, California reduced insurance requirements for Uber and Lyft for accidents caused by underinsured drivers. This will likely save the companies hundreds of millions of dollars and even lower fares.

This makes California the second state to provide protections for rideshare drivers. Last November, Massachusetts passed a ballot referendum that allows drivers to unionize.

These Tenants Launched the First Rent Debt Strike Against a Corporate Landlord in the U.S.

A group of nine tenants have organized to announce their collective refusal to pay back owed rent to Equity Residential, the fifth-largest landlord in the United States. Several of the people in the collective began accumulating the rental debt owed during COVID shutdowns.

Some lost their jobs and were even evicted from their apartments when housing protection was lifted, Truthout reports. One striker reports that her deposit was never returned, and that the housing company claimed she owed additional money. The group has organized its efforts with Debt Collective, a union that focuses on the unfair debt many Americans find themselves to meet their basic needs.

This Rural Town in Northern California Has Lost Its Only Hospital

The Guardian reports that Glenn Medical Center, a hospital that served a community of about 28,000 residents in California’s Sacramento valley, shut down at the end of September after 75 years.

The closure occurred because the federal government eliminated the center’s critical access designation, which is a status that gives rural communities access to emergency health care. Now tens of thousands of residents will have to travel more than 30 miles to receive emergency care.

About 200 rural hospitals have closed since 2005 and hundreds more are at risk of shutting down. Some experts warn that the extensive cuts to Medicare and Medicaid in President Donald Trump’s budget bill will worsen medical care access for rural communities. Many hospitals in these areas rely on federal funding from public health insurance programs, and the cuts may increase closure rates.

Former Hollywood Resident Accused of Setting Deadly Palisades Fires

Federal prosecutors have accused 29-year-old Jonathan Rinderknecht of setting the devastating Palisades Fires, Los Angeles Times reports. The fires resulted in the death of 12 people, the destruction of thousands of structures throughout Los Angeles, and an estimated $65 billion in damages.

Rinderknecht was arrested near his residence in Florida and is being charged for the destruction of property by fire, the acting U.S. attorney for the central district of California announced this week. According to court filings, Rinderknecht intentionally started the fire on Jan. 1 near a hiking trail after driving for Uber. The fire smoldered for days until heavy winds made it resurface and spread on Jan. 7.

Rinderknecht had himself called 911 to report where the fire was. He lied to investigators about his location, but his phone was tracked to a location near the fire. Investigators have not yet revealed a motive.

The Government Shutdown Is Seriously Messing With Air Travel

The government shutdown has created air traffic control staffing shortages throughout the U.S. that have severely disrupted air travel, NPR reports. About a dozen Federal Aviation Administration facilities experienced staffing shortages earlier this week. Federal employees are not paid for their work during a government shutdown, and many have called in sick to work other jobs or to avoid working without pay.

Flights in airports including Philadelphia, Chicago and Houston saw extensive delays. Nashville International Airport even experienced a ground stop, which is when the FAA slows down air traffic due to various conditions, including insufficient staffing. One of the worst disruptions was felt in Hollywood Burbank Airport near Los Angeles, which saw a ground delay of more than two hours and no air traffic controllers for more than five hours on Monday.

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MORE NEWS

• Chicago mayor announces ICE Free Zones, limiting where ICE agents can gather. NBC Chicago

• U.S. is undermining global health gains by defunding international aid projects. The Guardian

• City of LA investigating new trend of homeless encampments forming on private properties. ABC7

• Here’s how NYC’s mayoral candidates intend to respond to Trump’s possible deployment of the national guard. Gothamist

• Gov. Newsom threatens to remove funding from California universities that give in to Trump’s policy changes. Higher Ed Dive

• Camden County officials announce collaboration to expand much needed affordable housing. WHYY

• Arizona will be home to four of America’s hottest cities by 2050, study says. Phoenix News Times

• ICE raids throughout Chicago showcase escalation tactics throughout the city. Time

• Oregon is losing $400 million worth of federal grants for climate change projects like energy efficiency projects. Oregon Public Broadcasting

• Updated COVID shots led to fewer virus-related hospitalizations throughout the U.S., study finds. Reuters

• The Trump administration is making it harder for undocumented students to access higher education. The Conversation

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• Project for Public Spaces is accepting applications from nonprofits and public agencies seeking to transform a street or mobility hub into a community gathering place that improves street safety and mobility in Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Tennessee and Texas. Apply by Oct. 13.

• Voqal Partners is accepting applications from community social justice leaders who are passionate about solutions for inequality throughout the U.S. Attend an info session Oct 14 and apply by Oct. 31.

• Envision Resilience is offering funding to university-affiliated design studios to support curricula centered on adaptive design solutions to the challenges of a warming planet in their communities. Apply by Oct. 17.

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

EVENTS

• Oct. 15 at 3 p.m. Eastern: The Urban Institute, MEF Associates and the Adjacent Possible host a webinar on strategies for coordination and integration across human services agencies.

• Oct. 23 at 1 p.m. Eastern: Join authors Michaela M. Leslie-Rule and Jennifer Breheny Wallace as they discuss the challenges young people in the country face as they transition into adulthood.

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

This post was originally published on Next City.