The NewDEAL

With today's inauguration of Delaware's Matthew Meyer, three #NewDEALers now serve as Governor of states across the country! Get to know Governors Meyer, Shapiro, and Stein!

With state legislators reconvening in state houses across the country, here's a look at the top issues at play from the economy to the influence of the Trump Administration to making government work better. Hear more from our 2025 state legislative preview by tuning in to #AnHonorableProfession 🎧 https://lnkd.in/eRcxTG8B

Since housing was such a central concern for voters in 2024, elected leaders must act quickly, prioritizing innovative, long term solutions that increase housing supply while lowering costs. Here are three tools for meeting this need in 2025 ZONING: Zoning codes and reforms are the most powerful tools when it comes to building new housing and renovating existing structures. As Sara C. Bronin of the National Zoning Atlas said, smart zoning doesn’t just aid new construction, but it also builds thriving neighborhoods, from grocery stores to parks to schools. INNOVATION & MESSAGING: Combatting the national housing crisis will require innovative ideas to get more people housed. Salt Lake City, UT, Mayor Erin Mendenhall successfully implemented accessory dwelling units (ADUs) in her community and gained public support for this initiative by branding them as a way to support older neighbors living alone. In doing so, Salt Lakers saw not only the benefits of building more housing but also of creating tight- knit neighborhoods. ABUNDANCE: The housing abundance movement is gaining ground in communities across the country and will continue to do so throughout 2025. This approach encourages elected officials and communities to reduce the red tape and regulations that lead to higher production costs, resulting in more expensive housing. Find more insights: https://lnkd.in/e6x6_ybz

In this week's 2 Minute Download... 🤖 5 insights on the future of AI 🛶 #NewDEALer Justin M. Bibb's exciting lakefront vision for Cleveland 📰 The Washington Post's profile on NewDEAL alumna Sarah McBride Subscribe today for the latest governing news ✉️

Good zoning policy is good economic policy. "I'm convinced that it's the economic argument that Democrats need to make for zoning reform," says Sara C. Bronin of the National Zoning Atlas. "When you don't have enough housing, people are unable to contribute to the economy." #FutureFocused

After facing defeat at the presidential level in 2024, Democrats need to regain public support for the party and build a new era of leadership. Party leaders and representatives should consider these suggestions... LISTEN. In the wake of the 2024 election, NewDEAL CEO Debbie Cox Bultan encouraged the Democratic Party to do, “more listening than talking.” Democrats who were successful in 2024 — including those who outperformed the Harris-Walz ticket — credited their wins to listening to voters from diverse backgrounds and, in particular, in red areas. SIMPLIFY. It’s crucial for Democrats to rally around simple messages that describe what exactly the party stands for without belaboring what it stands against. The party needs to share those simple messages everywhere, especially online on podcasts and in short videos. BREAD AND BUTTER ISSUES. In the 2024 election, the Democrats who performed the best in state, local, and national races were candidates that focused on the bread-and-butter issues that voters cared the most about. In setting policy agendas in the months to come, Democrats must focus and deliver on topics like: lowering costs, increasing wages, creating new, good-paying jobs, and improving and investing in public safety. A PARTY FOR THE PEOPLE. Above all, Democrats need to emphasize that the party is both representative of America in a demographic sense and one that is also focused on serving the needs of everyday Americans. “We have to really keep our party like the America we envision,” said Georgia Representative Tanya Miller. “One that is diverse; has broad capacity and tolerance; and one that keeps its heart close to what’s best for the people.” #FutureFocused

The NewDEAL is thrilled to support 37 mayors from cities across the country! From Scranton to San José, these mayors are finding solutions to their neighbors' most pressing problems, from improving housing affordability to building reliable transit options to creating healthy environments to raise families in. We're looking forward to seeing so many of them this week as they come to D.C. for the U.S. Conference of Mayors' annual convening! Lacey Beaty | Beaverton, OR Justin M. Bibb | Cleveland, OH Daniel Biss | Evanston, IL Paige Gebhardt Cognetti | Scranton, PA Janet Cowell | Raleigh, NC Michael Doenges | Rutland, VT Buddy Dyer | Orlando, FL Cassie Franklin | Everett, WA Steven Fulop | Jersey City, NJ Kate Gallego | Phoenix, AZ Leirion Gaylor Baird | Lincoln, NE Lee H. | Shelby County, TN Quentin Hart | Waterloo, IA Cavalier Johnson | Milwaukee, WI Tishaura Jones | St. Louis, MO Phillip Jones | Newport News, VA Tim Keller | Albuquerque, NM Quinton Lucas | Kansas City, MO Matt Mahan | San José, CA Lauren McLean | Boise, ID Eddie Melton | Gary, IN Erin Mendenhall | Salt Lake City, UT Jon Mitchell | New Bedford, MA Ron Nirenberg | San Antonio, TX Kim Norton | Rochester, MN Aftab Pureval | Cincinnati, OH Steven L. Reed | Montgomery, AL Andy Schor | Lansing, MI Kathy Sheehan | Albany, NY Caroline Simmons | Stamford, CT Bobbie Singh-Allen | Elk Grove, CA Derek Slaughter | Williamsport, PA Zeb Smathers | Canton, NC Mayor Brett Smiley | Providence, RI Robyn Tannehill | Oxford, MS Randall Woodfin | Birmingham, AL Michelle Wu | Boston, MA

This week on #AnHonorableProfession, #NewDEALers Oregon House Majority Leader Ben Bowman, Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton, and Georgia Democratic Caucus Chair Representative Tanya Miller outline the top issues at play in state legislatures in 2025, from gun control to healthcare to housing 🎧 Tune in: https://lnkd.in/eRcxTG8B

Moving forward, journalist Matthew Yglesias encourages Democrats to "take some big tough swings" at policy issues that may rankle some in the party's base in order to appeal to more voters. #FutureFocused

Moving forward, there are opportunities for bipartisan collaboration. "We gotta build more housing," said John Lettieri, President & CEO of Economic Innovation Group. "This is another huge area of emerging agreement between the two parties." #FutureFocused