The West/Southwest Industrial Areas Foundation is a network of broad-based institutional organizations building power to revitalize our democracy for constructive social and economic change. We are part of the Industrial Areas Foundation, the nation's first and largest network of community organizations.
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Read below for recent victories. Click here for more extensive News Coverage.
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MAJOR UPDATES
Jul 17, 2026

After hearing testimony at one of six public hearings One LA-IAF has held since November 2025, Congresswoman Luz Rivas introduced the HEART Act, a bill to redirect $76 billion to mental and health services for communities impacted by ICE raids.
Jul 16, 2026

In their town of 30,000, EPISO leaders from Socorro, TX learned that ICE bought a warehouse with the intent of using it to detain 8,500 people. Refusing to accept this, they organized hundreds of residents, ultimately scaling back detention center plans and postponing the construction start date.
Jul 14, 2026

During his U.S. tour, Fr. Mattia Ferrari, Coordinator of the World Meeting of Popular Movements at the Vatican (an initiative of Pope Francis), met with TMO, EPISO, CTI, One LA, and COPA leaders to hear stories of organizing and discuss the importance of popular movements being led by poor and working-class people. They were joined by César Piscoya, Pastoral Advisor for the Latin American Episcopal Council, and Luca Caserini, Founder of Mediterranea Saving Humans.
Jul 14, 2026

After over a year of organizing with Mountain Voices Project (MVP), residents of Cavern Springs Mobile Home Park in Colorado’s Roaring Fork have raised millions of dollars and negotiated a contract with their landowner to purchase the land under their homes.
May 12, 2026

[Excerpt]
A new effort in the San Joaquin Valley is bringing together residents, educators, faith groups, and civic leaders to address the region’s most pressing issues.
More than 700 people filled an auditorium at Fresno State on May 3 for a “founding convention” of the newly created organization called United San Joaquin.
May 08, 2026

At the urging of the Inland Communities Organizing Network (ICON), Pomona Mayor Tim Sandoval organized a public hearing with over 100 people to allow residents to testify on their experiences with detainments and encounters with federal immigration agents.
Responding to declining school enrollment, pervasive fear, and what one ICON leader described as "a crisis of disappearing families," this was the second public hearing emerging from One LA's award-winning freedom school strategy.
Apr 27, 2026

A Mid-Iowa Organizing Strategy (AMOS) is at the center of a major milestone for housing in Des Moines: the first two permanently affordable homes have now been built in Des Moines' South Side.
Apr 11, 2026

The County of Los Angeles Commission on Human Relations honored One LA-IAF with its John Anson Ford Human Relations Award for their work organizing Freedom Schools that bring faith and community institutions together to strengthen civic belonging, protect human dignity, and build solidarity across lines of race, faith, language, and immigration status.
Mar 23, 2026

TMO receiving the Garnett F. Coleman Health Equity Award from Harris Health
After nearly three years of organizing, The Metopolitan Organization (TMO) leaders are celebrating a major victory for access to life-saving healthcare. The Harris County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to acquire 8.9 acres in Hermann Park to expand Ben Taub Hospital and address dangerous overcrowding at one of Houston’s most critical trauma centers.
TMO recognizes the County Commissioners for their vote to help meet the increasing demand for inpatient care in Harris County.
This win follows sustained organizing by TMO leaders, including securing nearly 2,200 petition signatures in support of the expansion online and in person at congregations throughout Harris County. Leaders educated their communities, held a press conference, delivered public testimony, and conducted behind-the-scenes negotiations and meetings with county commissioners to move the project forward.
Mar 04, 2026

Once again, Valley Interfaith leaders and allies organized to stop a multi-million dollar tax break for Texas LNG, a billion-dollar company seeking to build a natural gas facility at the Port of Brownsville.
After the company applied for a $160 million tax abatement from Port Isabel ISD, leaders met with trustees, educated community members, and testified at the school board meeting. Following the testimony, the board unanimously rejected the application.