Crediting the church with playing an important role in opposing predatory lending, the Star-Telegram of Fort Worth covered the spread of a payday reform strategy that originated with the work of the North Texas IAF in Arlington, Texas and now involves Catholic Bishop Michael Olson making public calls on the City of Fort Worth to regulate the practice.

In November of 2015, in collaboration with North Texas IAF, St. Joseph Catholic Church leaders in Arlington and the Texas Catholic Conference compelled the Arlington City Council to unanimously vote in support of payday regulations. Loans are now limited to 20% of borrowers' gross monthly income and auto loans are limited to 70 % of the vehicles value or no more than 3% of gross annual income. Leaders hope to achieve similar limitations in Fort Worth.

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At an Austin Interfaith assembly held last month, residents of the Heights On Congress apartments told stories about their concerns with relocation now that the property owner is seeking permission to rezone. The children of those residents belong to Travis Heights Elementary School, whose PTA reached out to Austin Interfaith for help in developing a plan with the owner and developer that will serve the interests of the residents and their children. At the assembly, they secured the support of the Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo and AISD trustees. In photo are local leaders Angie Gonzalez of the Oak Creek Village Tenants' Association and Rev. Brian Ferguson of Wildflower Church.

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With questions and concerns about the Housing Trust Fund and One-Cent Sales Tax, 300 leaders of Working Together Jackson packed an Emmanuel Baptist Church hall to engage Mayor Yarber around their concerns. Said Dorothy Triplett, a leader of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church, ""We are a very different organization, a very grassroots organization that doesn't just complain and talk about the problems. We come together with our people and ask what are you willing to work on. And we will also be talking about our vision as we move forward for the 2017 municipal elections. We hold all of the candidates accountable."

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Nevadans for the Common Good's 3rd "Convention for the Common Good" drew 1,500 leaders that called on federal, state and local elected officials to invest in education, immigrant integration, and services for the elderly and people with disabilities. Said Rev. Dr. Marta Poling-Goldenne of Reformation Lutheran Church: "We are here tonight because we practice a different kind of politics....We organize people around conversations and relationships... unite people across diverse backgrounds, and we are radically nonpartisan!"

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When Torchy's Tacos re-submitted a two-year old bid to sell alcohol within 300 feet of Fulmore Middle School, they forgot to take into account the lasting power of Austin Interfaith. Leaders from neighboring Travis Heights Elementary PTA, St. Ignatius Catholic, Oak Creek Village Tenants Association and St. David's Episcopal Church were already organizing around funding for after-school programming and maintaining affordable housing in communities near the school when apartment complexes are redeveloped.

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Representing over 30 institutions from Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties, 300 leaders of COPA convened at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Seaside for its spring assembly. Framing the assembly through the notion of covenant, Rabbi Paul Marcus of Temple Beth El in Aptos asserted that when leaders speak to city council members on each other's behalf, when the body holds the District Attorney's office accountable, when they secure funds for for low-income residents, they are acting like the biblical figure Ruth.

Leaders told stories about securing healthcare funds for undocumented patients, the importance of local implementation of Prop. 47, the need for affordable housing and a strategy to develop alternative lending options for low-income families.

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VIP leaders Rev. Martha Seaman and Rabbi John Linder made the case for embracing Arizona Proposition 123 in the Arizona Capitol Times, arguing that "while admittedly imperfect, does provide a way to get beyond the long-standing school inflation lawsuit."

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