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.

If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them to subscribe.

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SCOTUS Says It’s OK for ICE to Racially Profile During Immigration Stops

The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in a 6-3 decision that allows ICE agents in Los Angeles to essentially racially profile Latinos during immigration stops, Vox reports.

The ruling reversed a lower-court injunction that prevented agents from stopping people over their appearance, their employment, their presence in a certain location, and/or speaking Spanish publicly.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve the court and one of the judges to vote against the recent ruling, warned about the dangers of racial profiling in her dissent: “We should not have to live in a country where the Government can seize anyone who looks Latino, speaks Spanish, and appears to work a low wage job.”

In Los Angeles County, about one in three people are foreign born. Advocates worry that documented immigrants and citizens who present as Latino will be targeted alongside undocumented immigrants.

Pennsylvania’s SEPTA Is Saved From Budget Cuts By Bailout

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro has approved a $394 million bailout to reverse recent service cuts to Philadelphia’s public transit agency to restore rail, bus and trolley services, the Associated Press reports. The system has about 800,000 daily riders, many of whom rely on the service to make it to work and school.

Gov. Shapiro directed the state’s transportation department to approve a request that directed a one-time funding lifeline this Monday, Bloomberg reports. Before this critical support, recent cuts reduced both bus and rail service by 20%, but that will be restored by Sept. 14. A second phase of drastic cuts that were planned for this coming January were also cancelled by the recent infusion of cash.

The White House Threatens to Cut Funding to Transit After NC Train Murder

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has suggested that he may pull funding from transit networks throughout the U.S. after last month’s brutal murder on a light rail train in Charlotte, North Carolina, Streetsblog USA reports.

“Your federal tax dollars go to fund a lot of these transit systems,” Duffy recently told Fox News host Sean Hannity, decrying an “epidemic of violence and homelessness” on public transit. “And we have to look at them and say, ‘Well, maybe it’s appropriate that we start pulling some of that money back.”

On Aug. 22, Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was fatally stabbed in an unprovoked attack aboard a Charlotte train. This prompted Duffy to call for more law enforcement on public transportation and the White House to condemn “Democrat-run cities” for allowing him to be released after previous crimes.

Trump Seems to Walk Back Plans for National Guard in Chicago, For Now

President Trump seems to be pivoting from previous threats to send the National Guard to Chicago, the Chicago Tribune reports. Local officials, including Gov. JB Pritzker, have warned that this hesitance to send in troops may be temporary.

The President has instead suggested that he will focus the government’s efforts towards a different location. “We’re going to be announcing another city that we’re going to very shortly, working it out with the governor of a certain state who would love us to be there, and the mayor of a certain city in the same state that would love us to be there,” Trump told reporters earlier this week.

Trump has sent the National Guard to several Democrat-led cities this year, including to Washington D.C., claiming that this has effectively reduced crime.

A House Bill Could Amend the Clean Water Act, Rolling Back Pollution Regulations

A bill that could reduce the power of the Clean Water Act passed through the committee in the U.S. House this week, and environmental advocates worry that it will reach the Senate floor for debate later this month, Inside Climate News reports.

If passed, the bill will limit the bodies of water that qualify to be protected under the Clean Water Act, which will increase the chance that waterways in the U.S. can be polluted with fewer consequences. Businesses and factory farms would not require permits for discharging pesticides or pollutants, like manure-contaminated stormwater, into nearby waterways.

“They call it the PERMIT Act. We call it the Permission to Pollute Act,” Nancy Stoner, a senior attorney for the Environmental Law & Policy Center and former assistant administrator for the EPA said. “That is the worst bill for clean and safe water that I have seen in decades.”

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MORE NEWS

• New Mexico becomes the first state in the U.S. that will provide free universal childcare. KRQE News

• NYC officials pledge millions to save community service jobs lost to the Trump administration. Gothamist

• The U.S. is ending its EV carpool lane access program by October. Reuters

• Fossil fuel firms receive more than $30b worth of subsidies in the U.S., study finds. The Guardian

• About half of U.S. residents are uncomfortable with the government’s use of AI. Smart Cities Dive

• Teacher’s unions are suing the Trump administration, citing that immigration arrests are keeping students home. Associated Press

• Study: Rising temperatures lead to a spike in sugar consumption. Scientific American

• Will California’s strict vaccine rules survive the Trump administration’s rollbacks on science and public health? The Los Angeles Times

• Trump’s Medicaid cuts will hurt children’s hospitals. NPR

• Tourism tanked in D.C. after federal troops were deployed in the capital city. CNN

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• DEADLINE TODAY: The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation is accepting applications for its Preserving Black Churches grant program. Apply by Sept. 12.

• The Chinook Fund is accepting applications to fund Colorado-based organizations that focus on progressive social change and challenge inequality. Apply by Sept. 15.

• The Cummings Foundation is accepting letters of inquiry for their local grant program for social justice focused organizations in the Greater Boston area. Apply by Sept. 17.

• The Social Innovation Lab at the John Hopkins University is accepting applications from leaders and ventures building sustainable solutions for a better world. This is available to applicants in the Baltimore area. Apply by Sept. 27.

• The Ford Foundation’s NYC Good Neighbor Committee is accepting applications from community-based organizations working on education, human services, arts and culture in New York City. Apply by Sept. 30.

• Hinkley Allen is accepting applications from small nonprofits for its social justice partnership program. Apply by Sept. 30.

• The National Geographic Society is accepting applications to fund innovative projects that make farms, farming communities and natural ecosystems more resilient to the realities of climate change and extreme weather. Apply by Sept. 30.

• 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

• Sept. 14 at 11 a.m. Eastern: Planner Desiree’ Powell is hosting a virtual zoning 101 class for students and early career professionals to learn more about zoning, land use and their real-world impacts.

• Sept. 16 at 12 p.m. Eastern: Kumsa Baker and Sergio Montero from the University of Toronto will host a virtual discussion on transportation infrastructure as a community asset.

• Sept. 25 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern: Urban Institute is holding a hybrid panel event on the promise and challenges of using emerging financial technology for estate planning to preserve generational wealth for vulnerable homeowners.

Check out events from Next City and our partners here!

This post was originally published on Next City.

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.

If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them to subscribe.

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D.C. Sues the Trump Admin Over Deploying the National Guard

Washington, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb is suing the Trump administration for deploying the National Guard on the capital city. The lawsuit accuses the president of violating the Constitution by sending in thousands of service members without city officials’ consent, WAMU reports.

“Deploying the National Guard to engage in law enforcement is not only unnecessary and unwanted, but it is also dangerous and harmful to the District and its residents,” Schwalb said. “We’ve filed this action to put an end to this illegal federal overreach.” Schwalb previously filed a lawsuit claiming the administration lacked the authority to mobilize the Metropolitan Police Department on behalf of the federal government.

Troops were deployed in early August as part of the president’s supposed anti-crime efforts, though violent crime rates were already falling. The White House called the suit an attempt to undermine the president’s “highly successful operation,” CNN reports.

Judge Rules Trump Illegally Deployed National Guard in L.A.

A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration broke the law by deploying the National Guard in Los Angeles this past June after protests over his immigration raids. In the ruling, U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer in San Francisco expressed concern that the president and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth were creating their own national police force, the Associated Press reports.

Judge Breyer noted that the president used the deployed troops for functions that are not allowed according to the National Guard’s own training materials. His ruling barred the troops from actions including making arrests and collecting evidence.

The White House says it plans to appeal this ruling, calling Breyer a “rogue judge.” Meanwhile, Trump has suggested he will deploy National Guard troops to New Orleans next, NBC News reports.

Green Space Helped Prevent Depression During Covid-19

A new national study in Canada found that urban green spaces had “profound” protective effects against senior depression during the Covid-19 pandemic, CBC reports.

The peer-reviewed study of 13,000 adults aged 50 and over, published in the journal PLOS One, found that the depression rate doubled among participants during the first six months of the pandemic. However, researchers concluded, people who lived in the greenest neighbourhoods were 20% less likely to develop depression.

“Notably, the beneficial associations of greenness and depression (during the pandemic) was more pronounced in the lower wealth group than higher wealth group,” researchers wrote. “The beneficial associations of greenness on depression during the pandemic was stronger for those with mobility issues when compared to those who did not.”

Solar Installations Are Up By 64% Worldwide in 2025

Solar is quickly becoming the fastest growing source of electricity worldwide, with solar installations up by 64% worldwide in the first half of 2025, Yale Environment 360 reports.

Countries have collectively installed 380 gigawatts of solar capacity, compared to 232 gigawatts in 2024. The impressive growth was led by China, which increased its solar capacity by more than double from 2024 to 2025.

Meanwhile, the U.S. only saw solar installations increase by about 4%. This comes as American leadership has pushed back against new solar projects throughout the country. Last month, Trump announced that his administration will not approve new wind and solar power projects, despite a serious need for more renewable energy sources.

‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Will Stay Open For Now

The controversial immigration detention center built in the Florida Everglades will stay open after a federal appeals court has temporarily blocked a judge’s order to shut down the center dubbed “Alligator Alcatraz,” CNN reports.

The Eleventh U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted requests from the Department of Homeland Security and the State of Florida to repeal the preliminary injunction announced last month that would have forced the center to wind down operations in 60 days. The center has been the focus of a lot of controversy from immigration rights advocates and environmental advocates. People held at the center have complained about dangerous heat and lack of sufficient food.

Despite human rights concerns, Florida Sen. Ron DeSantis has doubled down on opening more immigration detention centers. He has recently announced two new detention facilities that he has dubbed “Panhandle Pokey” and “Deportation Depot.”

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MORE NEWS

• Colorado could turn the parking lot next to the governor’s mansion into 12 stories of housing. Denverite

• This old Denny’s in Los Angeles is now a daycare that supports unhoused families. Fast Company

• A Philadelphia judge has temporarily halted SEPTA fare hikes and funding cuts that would hurt regular commuters. Smart Cities Dive

• Gun violence is down throughout New York City. Gothamist

• Chicago has seen its lowest number of summer murders since the mid-1960s. WBEZ Chicago

• Miami Beach votes to protect its rainbow crosswalk and to rename street Pride Street. CBS News

• California is trying to push ahead for its high speed rail project, even though federal funds are in doubt. NPR

• A post-war Gaza includes paying Palestinians to leave, and dystopian luxury developments. Washington Post

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• Camelback Ventures is accepting fellowship applications from early-stage entrepreneurs who are dedicated to addressing inequities in the education and technology sectors. Apply by Sept. 10

• The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation is accepting applications for its Preserving Black Churches grant program. Apply by Sept. 12.

• The Chinook Fund is accepting applications to fund Colorado-based organization that focus on progressive social change and challenge inequality. Apply by Sept. 15.

• The Cummings Foundation is accepting letters of inquiry for their local grant program for social justice focused organizations in the Greater Boston area. Apply by Sept. 17.

• The Social Innovation Lab at the John Hopkins University is accepting applications from leaders and ventures building sustainable solutions for a better world. This is available to applicants in the Baltimore area. Apply by Sept. 27.

• The Ford Foundation’s NYC Good Neighbor Committee is accepting applications from community-based organizations working on education, human services, arts and culture in New York City. Apply by Sept. 30.

• Hinkley Allen is accepting applications from small nonprofits for its social justice partnership program. Apply by Sept. 30.

• The National Geographic Society is accepting applications to fund innovative projects that make farms, farming communities and natural ecosystems more resilient to the realities of climate change and extreme weather. Apply by Sept. 30.

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

EVENTS

• Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. Eastern: Corner to Corner and the Wilson Sheehan Lab for Economic Opportunities are holding a sponsored webinar about the importance of nonprofit-research partnerships.

• Sept 10 at 6 p.m. Central: Weisman Art Museum in Minneapolis is hosting an in-person panel with local civic leaders who are shaping the urban landscapes of tomorrow.

• Sept. 14 at 11 a.m. Eastern: Planner Desiree’ Powell is hosting a virtual zoning 101 class for students and early career professionals to learn more about zoning, land use and their real-world impacts.

• Sept. 25 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern: Urban Institute is holding a hybrid panel event on the promise and challenges of using emerging financial technology for estate planning to preserve generational wealth for vulnerable homeowners.

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

This post was originally published on Next City.

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.

If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them to subscribe.

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This post was originally published on Next City.

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.

If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them to subscribe.

---

Trump Admin Won’t Approve Wind and Solar Power Projects

President Trump has announced that his administration will not approve new wind or solar power projects in the country, despite the need for energy sources to meet rising electricity demand, CNBC reports.

“We will not approve wind or farmer destroying Solar [sic],” Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social. “The days of stupidity are over in the USA!!!” The president has posted false claims in the recent past about wind farms hurting the environment, and endangered species of animals like whales. He has even gone as far as to claim that windmills create bird cemeteries.

Trump’ policies have not only cut potential for green energy development throughout the U.S., this combined with his aggressive push for tariffs have also raised power bills for households across the country. Since he took office again this January, household electricity bills have increased by about 10%, the Guardian reports. This has gone against his campaign promise of lowering the cost of living in the U.S., including lower utility bills.

Two Years After Deadly Fires, Maui Homeowners Battle Foreclosure

Two years after the deadly fires burned houses to the ground and killed over 100 people in the Lahaina neighborhood of Maui, homeowners in the area are struggling to hold on to their homes, Grist reports.

Many homeowners who lost their homes during the disastrous fires are confronted with what they can do next. Some are unsure if they can rebuild the homes they lost; some held off on paying their mortgages and now owe back payments with interest because they had to rent new homes when they were displaced; some have also lost income due to the damage to nearby businesses that employed them.

All the while, in a textbook case of disaster capitalism, they are receiving increasingly frequent messages from investors that want to use this opportunity to own property in Maui. About a third of homeowners in that area of Maui no longer own their homes because of the fire, and more are increasingly listing their properties for sale as mounting costs and pressures add up.

Trump’s Policies Make It Harder for American Students to Access Higher Ed

From regretting their educational decisions to delaying children to budgeting like mad, Americans are struggling with student loan debt thanks to the Trump administration, The Guardian reports.

Under the Biden administration, many students could depend on the Saving on a Valuable Education plan, an income-driven repayment plan that was introduced in 2023. Loans put into forbearance wouldn’t accrue interest.

The Department of Education has since killed this program, and though borrowers can still forego payments, they will now see interest on their loans. Some borrowers have seen their loan payments more than double, making it difficult for them to save money or plan for a future with children, The Guardian reports.

New York City’s Monthly Evictions Skyrocket

Monthly evictions in one of the most expensive cities in the U.S. have skyrocketed to almost pre-pandemic levels as New York City rents skyrocket and working-class residents struggle to afford their homes, Gothamist reports.

City marshalls have handed out 1,500 evictions per month on average this January to this August, according to city records. That’s almost as much as the 2018 average of about 1,666 evictions a month. This comes after rent freezes and eviction protections were put into place due to Covid-19 have since lapsed. Evictions more than doubled between 2022 and 2023, and have only increased ever since.

Hawaii’s DOT Wants to Slash Cruise Ship Visits

The Department of Transportation in Hawaiʻi recently announced an ambitious plan to cut the number of cruise ships that visit the islands by half by 2030, Travel and Tour World reports. The plan hopes to improve air quality and result in cleaner oceans and has been celebrated by environmental advocates.

However, some local business owners worry that fewer cruise ships means fewer tourists and less customers, SF Gate reports. “I see businesses closing, leaving the islands, a loss of jobs. Families would definitely be affected,” Aaron Paulk of Hawaii Tour Consultants, a group representing 20 small, family-owned tour operators, told Seatrade Cruise News.

This isn’t the first time state officials focus on cruise shops as a way to protect the local environment. Earlier this year. Hawaii’s legislature passed an 11% cruise tax and plans to use that revenue for initiatives including improving environmental infrastructure, Travel and Tour World reports.

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MORE NEWS

• States rethink a long-held practice of setting speed limits based on how fast drivers travel. Associated Press

• The Trump administration deported an NYC elementary school student and her mother. The City

• This Philadelphia bus pilot is filling in the gaps for city commuters. WHYY

• A small city in Oregon has voted to stop adding fluoride to its drinking water. Smart Cities Dive

• Extreme heat is disrupting education for students in Puerto Rico. Associated Press

• The Trump administration is rolling back gun violence prevention efforts for vulnerable communities. NPR

• Trump’s lawyers are working on an executive order to get rid of mail-in voting. The Guardian

• Florida’s leadership wants to get rid of rainbow crosswalks in the state. Advocate

• From more riders to new terminals, intercity buses are having a moment. Smart Cities Dive

• This L.A. county tribe has won land back for the first time ever. Los Angeles Times

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• Muslims for Just Futures and Sustainable Economies Law Center are launching an institute for movement leaders and lawyers to strengthen movement infrastructure and build collective responses to state repression. Apply by Aug. 25.

• Smart Growth America is accepting applications for its Community Connectors program from locally-led initiatives to reconnect communities and improve street safety. Apply by Aug. 31.

• 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.

• The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation is accepting applications for its Preserving Black Churches grant program. Apply by Sept. 12.

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

EVENTS

• Aug. 27 at 1 p.m. Eastern: Next City’s Oscar Perry Abello is hosting a webinar examining how green financing entities are still looking to forge ahead, despite Trump’s attempts to claw back $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

• Sept. 3 at 6 p.m. Mountain Time: Next City’s Oscar Perry Abello is hosting a talk about his book, “The Banks We Deserve: Reclaiming Community Banking for a Just Economy.”

• Sept. 4 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern: WHYY and the Free Library of Philadelphia are hosting a dialogue about the importance of green spaces in the city.

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

This post was originally published on Next City.

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.

If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them to subscribe.

After D.C. Takeover, Trump Suggests Other Cities Are Next

Weeks after deploying national guard troops on the streets of L.A. to quell non-violent anti-ICE protests, President Trump this week placed about 800 D.C. National Guard troops on Washington, D.C.’s streets. In an unprecedented move, he announced temporary federal control of the Metropolitan Police Department to address a “crime emergency” in the District. In fact, violent crime is down 26% as compared to this time last year, MPD data shows.

Trump says he will ask Congress for long-term control of the capital’s police department, the Guardian reports, and has suggested that other cities — including Chicago, L.A., New York, Baltimore and Oakland – could experience takeover to crack down on crime and homelessness.

But as mayors have pointed out, crime rates have trended downwards in all of these cities. “I think it’s very notable that each and every one of the cities called out by the president has a Black mayor, and most of those cities are seeing historic lows in violent crime,” Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott told CNN.

Extreme Heat Has Killed More Than 400 People in this County in Arizona’s Maricopa County

Brutal summer heat has likely killed more than 400 people in Arizona’s Maricopa County this year, the Guardian reports. The Southwestern state is no stranger to heat waves and extreme temperatures, but as the climate crisis causes these elevated temperatures to stick around for longer, people are more likely to struggle with the hot weather.

The county medical examiner’s office has confirmed 17 deaths directly caused by the elevated temperatures and 18 other cases where the heat was a contributing factor. The other 369 deaths suspected of being heat-related are currently under investigation.

According to National Weather Service meteorologists, the area has broken at least three daily temperature records, including a high of 118 degrees Fahrenheit. Nighttime temperatures have also been elevated, which makes heat waves even more dangerous as households do not get any respite from the daytime heat.

Florida’s ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ May Be Halted, But ‘Deportation Depot’ Is Just Getting Started

The controversial Florida immigration detention center known as “Alligator Alcatraz” may have to cease construction as mounting concerns over the lack of environmental oversight, the Associated Press reports. Meanwhile, Gov. Ron DeSantis has announced plans to open a second immigration detention facility, called “Deportation Depot,” at a state prison.

Last week, a district judge ordered a 14-day halt to additional construction on “Alligator Alcatraz” facility in the Everglades, and heard arguments this week on whether building on the wetland violated environmental laws. Native tribes and environmental groups have already sued over the facility, but Florida officials and the Trump administration claim rules for environmental review don’t currently apply.

There’s an NYC Suburb Where Rents Have Actually Gone Down

With housing becoming increasingly expensive in nearly every U.S. city, one New York City suburb has managed to cut through red tape, building thousands of apartments and lowering the area’s average rent, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Unlike other suburbs that struggle to build enough housing due to the interaction from NIMBYs, New Rochelle has managed to add more than 4,000 apartments to its housing stock in the past decade. The effort has paid off: Current rents are less than 2% higher than they were in 2020, compared to the 25% increase in rents seen in New York City. The area has achieved this because pushback does not significantly delay construction — if a residential project meets the proper criteria, officials in New Rochelle assure that it receives a 90-day approval process.

Irvine May Support Lawsuit Against ICE Sweeps

Officials in the City of Irvine, California, have said that they are looking into drafting and filing an amicus brief to support a federal lawsuit against ICE’s immigration sweeps across Southern California, the Voice of OC reports. Officials in various other locations in the state, including Santa Ana and Anaheim, have also either voted to join this lawsuit or are expected to soon.

This lawsuit was filed through the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of several people and immigrant rights organizations who have alleged that ICE officers are racially profiling people in hopes of detaining undocumented immigrants.

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MORE NEWS

• How Baltimore became a rising star in America’s worker cooperative movement. Baltimore Beat

• Gerrymandering erodes the public’s confidence in democracy, study finds. UC Riverside

• California’s Central Valley homeowners are seeing their property values sink alongside the land. Los Angeles Times

• Hong Kong’s iconic street hawkers face extinction. DW

• New York City’s energy utility is hiking up prices and disconnections as the climate crisis brings sweltering temperatures. The Guardian

• Funding for Pennsylvania’s public transit is still in limbo. WHYY

• Federal judge orders ICE to improve conditions after detainees complain of mistreatment. Associated Press

• This small German hamlet featuring innovation and collective action is the ‘smartest city’ in the world. Reasons to be Cheerful

• Immigrants are avoiding medical care out of fear of ICE raids and deportation. The City

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• The Center for Land Economics has launched OpenAVMKit, a free and open source library for real estate mass appraisal. The tool was used to produce the center’s recent findings of Baltimore’s systematic undervaluation of vacant lots.

• Muslims for Just Futures and Sustainable Economies Law Center are launching an institute for movement leaders and lawyers to strengthen movement infrastructure and build collective responses to state repression. Apply by Aug. 25.

• Smart Growth America is accepting applications for its Community Connectors program from locally-led initiatives to reconnect communities and improve street safety. Apply by Aug. 31.

• 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.

• The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation is accepting applications for its Preserving Black Churches grant program. Apply by Sept. 12.

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

EVENTS

• Aug. 17 at 1 p.m. Pacific: The City of Palo Alto and the Cool Cities Coalition are hosting a summit to discuss how cities can withstand the long hot summers to come.

• Aug. 27 at 1 p.m. Eastern: Next City’s Oscar Perry Abello is hosting a webinar examining how green financing entities are still looking to forge ahead, despite Trump’s attempts to claw back $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

• Sept. 4 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern: WHYY and the Free Library of Philadelphia are hosting a dialogue about the importance of green spaces in the city.

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

This post was originally published on Next City.

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. If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them to subscribe.

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As Texas Pushes For GOP Gerrymandering, Democrats Fight Fire With Fire

Texas Republicans are fighting for control of the House leading up to the 2026 midterm elections by strategically redistricting the state to add five more Republican seats in the state. This would give the party a narrow majority in the House of Representatives, CBS News reports.

The attempts to redraw maps in the Lone Star state began late last month, when Republican leaders released the draft of a new map that gave their party more seats in Texas metro areas.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom responded by threatening to redraw his state’s congressional lines in Democrats’ favor if Texas Republicans succeeded. To block the new Texas congressional districts map from being voted on, 50 Texas House Democrats left the state so quorum could not be met.

Trump’s Workplace Deregulations Disproportionately Hurt Immigrant Workers

Labor advocates are warning that the Trump administration’s efforts to deregulate workplaces are going to disproportionately hurt immigrant workers on farms and construction sites, Documented reports.

Last month, the U.S. Department of Labor announced a plan to deregulate more than 60 workplace rules, stating that this was due to “President Trump’s commitment to restore American prosperity through deregulation.”

Some of the worker protections being targeted include the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s proposal to amend the OSHA 300 Log, which requires employers to record work-related injuries. The changes would also have OSHA withdraw a proposed requirement for employers to provide adequate lighting at construction sites. About 15% of construction site injuries happen due to bad lighting.

Amtrak’s New ‘High Speed’ Rail Trains Are Coming to the Northeast Corridor

After a three-year delay, Amtrak passengers on the East Coast can finally ride the new NextGen Acela trains for quicker trips between Washington D.C, New York City and Boston, NJ.com reports.

These trains can go up to 160 miles per hour – not as fast as Japan’s high speed trains (which reach up to 200 miles per hour), but faster than the current Acela trains (which max out at 150 miles per hour). The new trains will come with 27% more seats and expanded weekday and weekend service for more travel availability. These new trains will feature amenities like USB ports, outlets, reading lights and high-speed wi-fi.

A Class Action Lawsuit Could Force the EPA to Reinstate Its $3 Billion Climate Preparedness Program

A coalition of local governments, nonprofits and tribes have sued the Environmental Protection Agency and the agency’s administrator, Lee Zeldin, for terminating the Environmental and Climate Justice Program, The Guardian reports.

The grant program, approved by Congress under the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, sought to bring $3 billion to tackle environmental hazards and prepare for the climate crisis. This has been described as a first-of-its-kind lawsuit that seeks to force the EPA to reinstate the program and funding, instead of forcing individual recipients to pursue individual suits.

The lawsuit calls the program’s termination unconstitutional, arguing that Congress approved the funding and that the executive branch shouldn’t have interfered.

NOAA Can Finally Hire Workers Again After Devastating DOGE Cuts

The National Weather Service has received permission to hire workers again after major cuts from the Trump administration. The service can now hire 450 meteorologists, hydrologists and radar technicians, CNN reports.

After the Trump administration came into power, DOGE cut the workforce across multiple federal agencies, including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the agency in charge of the National Weather Service. The hiring is an exception to a freeze to federal hiring that’s supposed to be in place until this October, according to the White House.

The cuts to the National Weather Service were heavily criticized as the U.S. continues to face down climate disasters, including deadly flash flooding throughout the Northeast and in Texas this summer.

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MORE NEWS

• Federal judge halts construction at the Everglades ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ immigration detention center. NPR

• Kids in Pittsburgh are breathing easy after a polluting coal plant shuts down. Inside Climate News

• This Illinois organization supports gun violence trauma survivors. It may have to shut down due to lack of funds. The Guardian

• Tariffs are making transit buses more expensive to manufacture. Smart Cities Dive

• This California community is turning an old oil field into a protected habitat for wildlife. High Country News

• Harlem landlords could be held accountable for deadly legionnaires outbreak. Gothamist

• Netanyahu is pushing to occupy the Gaza Strip. Truthout

• Crops are going to waste as immigrants workers stay home to avoid ICE raids. CNN

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• Muslims for Just Futures and Sustainable Economies Law Center are launching an institute for movement leaders and lawyers to strengthen movement infrastructure and build collective responses to state repression. Apply by Aug. 25.

• Smart Growth America is accepting applications for its Community Connectors program from locally-led initiatives to reconnect communities and improve street safety. Apply by Aug. 31.

• 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.

• The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund at the National Trust for Historic Preservation is accepting applications for its Preserving Black Churches grant program. Apply by Sept. 12.

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

EVENTS

• Aug. 17 at 1 p.m. Pacific: The City of Palo Alto and the Cool Cities Coalition are hosting a summit to discuss how cities can withstand the long hot summers to come.

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

This post was originally published on Next City.

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.

If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them to subscribe.

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Bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act Seeks to Tackle Roots of Housing Crisis

With a 24-0 vote, the U.S. Senate this week advanced its first large, bipartisan housing package in over a decade, Smart Cities Dive reports. Sponsored by unlikely allies Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren, the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream to Housing Act of 2025 includes proposals to expand and preserve the country’s current housing supply and improve access to affordable housing.

The legislation “directs the Department of Housing and Urban Development to create a new grant and loan program for qualifying homeowners and small landlords to address home repairs and health hazards, develop best practice frameworks for zoning and land-use policies and create a pilot program to incentivize housing development of all kinds in Community Development Block Grant participating jurisdictions, among other actions,” Politico reports.

Los Angeles Wants to Stop Law Enforcement From Hiding Their Identities

Officials and leaders in Los Angeles County want to stop law enforcement officers from hiding their identities while on duty, the Associated Press reports. The county’s Board of Supervisors has voted unanimously to direct the counsel to draft an ordinance that stops officers — including federal agents — from wearing masks to veil their identities.

Through this ordinance, law enforcement would also be required to display identification and agency affiliation when working in public. Exceptions would be made for officers who need to use masks for medical protection or agents conducting undercover operations.

Federal agents have increasingly refused to identify themselves or show their faces when detaining immigrants during raids. Advocates and elected officials have pointed out that the public has a right to know who is detaining people and the agency that they work for.

“People are being pulled out of their cars, beaten, and ripped from their families by men in tactical gear with balaclavas, no badges, and no names,” Supervisor Janice Hahn, a co-author of the motion, told the Associated Press. “That’s not how law enforcement in a democracy should operate.”

Harlem Families Facing Eviction as MTA Moves To Expand Train Line

Some families in Manhattan’s Spanish Harlem are facing eviction as the MTA moves to continue expanding the Q train line in the borough, Gothamist reports.

Tenants in a building on East 116th street and 2nd avenue received letters from the transit agency stating that they had a “90-Day Residential Vacancy Notice.” The MTA is seizing the building through eminent domain to build a new train station on 116th street, and current tenants must be out by mid October. And though they were offered support to relocate by the MTA, residents told Gothamist that they are struggling to find alternative housing at the same price of their current units.

This building is one of at least 19 that will be taken over for the Q train line expansion. Adding more stations will improve transit access areas that are considered transit deserts with historically working-class communities, but it’s leaving existing residents in the lurch.

ICE Arrests on Church Property Are Unconstitutional, Lawsuit Says

A coalition of faith-based organizations is suing the Department of Homeland Security and Secretary Kristi Noem over the arrest and detainment of immigrants in religious locations, Truthout reports, with plaintiffs arguing the arrests violate the First Amendment and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

This lawsuit comes months after the Trump administration rescinded a Biden-era policy that banned ICE from arresting immigrants in sensitive locations like schools, houses of worship and hospitals, CNN reports. Since rolling back this protection, immigrants have been detained at places of worship, at medical facilities, and at schools throughout the country. Church attendance is down in some congregations as a result, with some programs going underground.

This Michigan Program Gives Cash to New Moms

The Associated Press spotlights Rx Kids, a program in Michigan that gives money to pregnant mothers and to parents in the first year of their children’s lives, easing the financial burden of parenthood. It began in Flint and has expanded to Pontiac, Kalamazoo and five counties, but it will soon be implemented in one rural county and several cities near Detroit.

Rx Kids was launched in 2024 and gives mothers with newborn babies up to $7,500 — with no rules on how the money is spent and no income requirements. Officials and advocates believe this could become a model to support parents who are struggling with the high cost of having and raising children in the U.S. As Next City reported last year, it’s one of several guaranteed income programs that’s helping protect against the economic, social and public health costs of post-partum mood disorders.

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MORE NEWS

• Ohio city whose Haitian migrants were disparaged by Trump braces to defend them against deportation. AP

• Missouri’s oldest Black bookstore just closed. The Kansas City Defender plans to reopen it as a newsroom and public archive. Nieman Lab

• Meet the Californian who pushed Texas lawmakers to help fix the state’s housing crisis. The Texas Tribune

• New proposed legislation aims to protect Pennsylvania homebuyers in flood-prone areas. WHYY

• Gaza’s cash crisis is another painful reminder of how powerless we’ve become. Prism

• Hundreds of old EV batteries are helping stabilize Texas’ shaky electrical grid. Inside Climate News

• California is training more firefighters to boost their numbers on the ground. Los Angeles Times

• Memphis residents protested xAI’s arrival. Now the company is funding upgrades for four schools. Chalkbeat

• 20 years after Katrina, Louisiana residents are most vulnerable to ‘die of despair.’ Capital B News

• Chicago moves to make its bike and scooter share system better and cheaper. Smart Cities Dive

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• DEADLINE TODAY: The Lululemon Community Wellbeing Grant is open to applications from community-led nonprofits around the globe that are creating equitable access to movement and mindful programming. Apply by Aug. 1.

• The Impact Project launched a new public health map to track federal policy changes and their local effects on the U.S. health system.

• Muslims for Just Futures and Sustainable Economies Law Center are launching an institute for movement leaders and lawyers to strengthen movement infrastructure and build collective responses to state repression. Apply by Aug. 25.

• Smart Growth America is accepting applications for its Community Connectors program from locally-led initiatives to reconnect communities and improve street safety. Apply by Aug. 31.

• 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

• Aug. 6 at noon Eastern: The Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing is hosting a webinar on social prescribing connectors’ role in addressing social determinants of health.

• Aug. 6 at 5:30 p.m. Eastern: The Columbia Climate School is hosting a discussion with researchers and community leaders about the climate risks in Harlem.

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

This post was originally published on Next City.

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.

If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them to subscribe.

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Trump Signs Order to Remove Unhoused People From the Streets and Forcibly Hospitalize Them

President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday that would make it easier for city and state governments to remove unhoused people from streets and encampments throughout the country, USA Today reports.

The order directs the attorney general to undo judicial precedents and consent decrees that restrict local and state-level governments’ ability to place unhoused individuals into long-term treatment centers. The attorney general is also required to work with the Departments of Health and Human Services; Housing and Urban Development; and Transportation to prioritize federal funds to state and local governments that “enforce prohibitions on open illicit drug use, urban camping and loitering, and urban squatting, and track the location of sex offenders,” USA Today reports.

Homeless advocacy groups say the move is unlawful and counterproductive to public safety. “Forced treatment is unethical, ineffective and illegal,” National Homelessness Law Center represents Jesse Rabinowitz says. “Trump’s actions will force more people into homelessness, divert taxpayer money away from people in need, and make it harder for local communities to solve homelessness.”

This order also follows Trump’s March executive orders to remove all homeless encampments on federal lands and to dismantle the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness.

EPA Is Drafting a Plan To Stop the Country’s Ability To Fight Climate Change

The Trump administration’s Environmental Protection Agency has drafted a plan to repeal a critical scientific finding that gives the federal government the authority to regulate harmful greenhouse-gas emissions in the hopes of fighting the climate crisis, the New York Times reports.

This change seeks to undermine the 2009 “endangerment finding” which explained that pollutants from burning fossil fuels can be regulated by the government, NPR reports. It’s one of many devastating environmental rollbacks in the U.S. since the Trump administration took power.

Rents Are Actually Falling in Some Cities, Thanks to Pro-Housing Policy

Cities throughout the U.S. have seen alarming rent increases since 2020, but in several locations throughout the country, rental prices are actually decreasing. Data from real estate investment firm Five Star Cash Offer shows cities that have enacted pro-housing policies have experienced a significant decline in rental prices, Reason reports.

Data compiled from Redfin and Realtor found that Sarasota, Florida, saw a significant decrease in rent prices year-over-year. The city experienced a more than 40% drop in average rents: $3,290 to $1,886 from January 2024 to January 2025. This decrease likely represents policies like relaxing density restrictions and allocating about $40 million for affordable housing projects, the Herald-Tribune reports. Providence, Rhode Island, saw the second-largest decline in rental prices year-over-year, and Cape Coral, Florida, saw the third-largest decline in rental prices.

USDA Ends Federal Support For Black Farmers

One of the Trump administration’s latest victims in its ongoing vendetta against diversity, equity and inclusion programs: a bill supporting Black farmers.

This month, the Department of Agriculture removed the phrase “socially disadvantaged,” which described farmers or ranchers who had been subjected racial and ethnic discrimination, from a 35-year-old policy, Capital B reports.

The designation was created for the 1990 Farm Bill, which sought to direct some resources to communities and farmers that were historically excluded from loans and grants. Lawmakers warn that change will make it harder to level the playing field for ranchers and farmers that have been historically underrepresented.

Investors Own Almost 20% of California Homes

About a fifth of the housing stock across California is owned by investors, per an analysis of BatchData figures by the Orange County Register. The data shows that investors own 19% of homes throughout the state, but that rate of investor ownership is several times higher in some counties.

In Sierra County, 83% of homes were owned by investors. Investors owned more than 50% of homes in several other counties, including Plumas, Alpine and Calaveras. These areas are more likely to be the site of second homeownership due to smaller populations and seasonal recreation-based tourism, SF Gate reports. This represents a trend where companies are outcompeting families and individuals in purchasing homes, which has caused housing prices to increase. Home prices in California have increased by about 60% in the last six years, The Guardian reports.

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MORE NEWS

• New Jersey is offering millions in grants to communities tackling the heat urban island effect. WHYY

• UCLA has launched 20 air quality monitors in L.A. county to track pollution from the Palisades Fire burn area. Los Angeles Times

• Traffic signals that give pedestrians a head start have lowered intersection injuries in NYC, study finds. Smart Cities Dive

• The new forest growing in Ukraine’s bombed reservoir has reclaimed the land, but it faces an uncertain future. The Guardian

• Homicides and other violent crimes have declined across 42 U.S. cities, study finds. Stateline

• Here’s how the Trump administration has devastated farmers, workers and communities. Grist

The U.S. is building an enormous 5,000-person detention center in Texas. Associated Press

• Mexico’s president asks the U.S. to repatriate the Mexican nationals held at the ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention center. Reuters

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• Main Street America is accepting applications for its Backing Small Businesses grant program. Apply by July 31.

• The Lululemon Community Wellbeing Grant is open to applications from community-led nonprofits around the globe that are creating equitable access to movement and mindful programming. Apply by Aug. 1.

• Muslims for Just Futures and Sustainable Economies Law Center are launching an institute for movement leaders and lawyers to strengthen movement infrastructure and build collective responses to state repression. Apply by Aug. 25.

• Smart Growth America is accepting applications for its Community Connectors program from locally-led initiatives to reconnect communities and improve street safety. Apply by Aug. 31.

• 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

• July 31 at 11 a.m. Eastern: EIT Urban Mobility and #CitiesFirst are holding a webinar on the future of shared micromobility in cities.

• Aug. 6 at noon Eastern: The Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing is hosting a webinar on social prescribing connectors’ role in addressing social determinants of health.

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

This post was originally published on Next City.

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.

If you enjoy this newsletter, share it with a friend or colleague and tell them to subscribe.

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ICE Raids Are Pushing Child Care Services to the Brink

A new survey from the Associated Press shows that three-quarters of American adults see child care costs as a “major problem.” But the country’s fragile child care systems, which rely on immigrant women’s labor and already face acute staffing shortages, are now even more vulnerable with the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration raids.

The Hechinger Report reports that some daycare centers have noticed immigrant parents have been less likely to drop their children off. Out of fear of being detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, many immigrant parents have been less likely to leave their homes. The Trump administration has upended long-held policies that prevented ICE from entering child care facilities.

The 19th reports that a Seattle child care worker set to open her own day care for disabled children was detained last month. Nannies for individual families are also afraid for their safety; the Los Angeles Times reports that Southern California nannies feared going to public spaces with the children they care for out of fear of being stopped by ICE.

20 States Sue Trump Administration Over Disaster Prevention Cuts

A group of states filed a lawsuit this week against the government in hopes of blocking the Trump administration from cutting billions of grant dollars that were supposed to fund infrastructural upgrades to protect against extreme weather events.

In the lawsuit, the group of 20 mostly Democratic-led states claim that the Federal Emergency Management Agency lacks the power to cancel funding from the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities after it was approved by Congress, Reuters reports.

This lawsuit comes right after a series of disasters have rocked several regions across the United States. Earlier this month, flash floods resulted in the deaths of more than 130 people and overwhelmed emergency response systems. Another series of floods across New York and New Jersey killed another two people this week.

Mexico City Announces Affordable Housing Plan To Combat Gentrification

Mexico City Mayor Clara Brugada Molina has announced a new initiative to create thousands of affordable housing units to offset the impacts of gentrification for residents.

The mayor’s Public Rental Housing program will add about 20,000 new rental homes to improve the long-term housing deficit, Mexico News Daily reports. Rent prices for these homes will take up no more than 30% of the tenants’ income.

This comes after recent protests showed many locals’ frustration at how businesses and housing prices seem to be catering to monied foreigners who can afford the rapidly rising housing costs. Mexicans chanted and held signs telling Americans to ‘go home’ and to speak Spanish in their city, the New York Times reports.

Native Florida Tribe Sues ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Detention Center in the Everglades

The Florida Miccosukee Tribe has joined environmental groups’ lawsuit against state and federal agencies that allowed the construction of the so-called “Alligator Alcatraz” immigrant detention center in the state’s Everglades National Park.

The group’s case argues that the agencies involved did not seek an environmental review before opening the center in a park that is home to several endangered species, Grist reports. The tribe’s filing also says the controversial detention center is near the community’s villages, traditional hunting grounds and ceremonial sites.

Los Angeles Offers Cash to Immigrants Affected By Mass Raids

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has announced plans to provide direct cash assistance for residents affected by the immigration raids, which have disrupted immigrant-run small businesses across the region. The support is aimed at preventing families from facing eviction in the high-cost-of-living city, the L.A. Times reports.

Cash cards, expected to be available sometime this month, will be funded by philanthropic partners with the city and will be distributed to those in need by immigrant rights groups. It is not yet clear who will qualify.

In a press conference, Mayor Bass recounted how she had spoken to a family facing eviction after one of the breadwinners was detained by ICE during an immigration raid. The aid announcement comes as the children of immigrants who may not feel safe leaving their homes are taking over their parents’ small businesses, including family taco stands, to stop them from shutting down, NBC Los Angeles reports.

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MORE NEWS

• More cities are joining a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s attempts to withhold federal funding. Stateline

  Food banks in Texas are rationing food for flood victims thanks to the Trump admin’s budget cuts. Grist

  The Pentagon has ended the deployment of thousands of troops in Los Angeles. NPR

  Climate change is making the intense rainstorms that flooded NYC more common. The Guardian

  Most of the immigrants detained in Southern California last month had no criminal convictions. L.A. Times

  The Trump administration has handed over personal data from Medicaid recipients to ICE. Associated Press

  The U.S. DOT has cancelled $4 billion of unspent grant money slates for a high-speed rail project in California. Smart Cities Dive

  Office spaces could create more than 17,000 new homes for NYC, comptroller’s report says. 6sqft.com

OPPORTUNITIES & RESOURCES

• Open Society Foundations is accepting applications for its Leadership in Government Fellowship. Apply by July 24. (Disclosure: Next City board chairman Eric Shaw is a current fellow.)

• Main Street America is accepting applications for its Backing Small Businesses grant program. Apply by July 31.

• 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

• July 22 at 11:30 a.m. Pacific: The Terner Center is hosting a webinar on strategies to decarbonize and increase the climate resilience of subsidized housing.

• July 23 at 1 p.m. Pacific: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is hosting a webinar on the effects of eviction on Black women’s health and on entire communities. (Disclosure: RWJF currently funds Next City.)

• July 24 at 3 p.m. Eastern: Urban Institute is hosting a virtual and in-person discussion on the past, present and future of credit scores in the housing finance ecosystem.

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

This post was originally published on Next City.

Angely Mercado

The post Meet the Climate Kids Who Are Mobilizing a Generation of Parents appeared first on The Nation.

This post was originally published on Article – The Nation.