Politics & Government Good News

Ways that people, organizations, and governments are fighting to strengthen democracy in the United States and around the world

An orange tent sits on a grassy campsite next to a lake

Donor pays for homeless people to leave street encampments and actually go camping instead

“The only complaint I've heard so far was that... 'the fish aren't biting,’” the local police chief said.

Activists in Seattle gather signatures to put a social housing initiative on the ballot. In early 2025, voters passed the measure, which implements a payroll tax on high incomes to fund the program.

These new social housing programs envision a world where homes are 'permanently affordable' for all

Across the U.S., social housing is being used to describe a range of programs, from limited equity cooperatives and community land trusts to public housing.

Against a black and white photo of the white house, five political candidates are cut out: Lily Franklin, Kat Abughazaleh, Zohran Mamdani, Jayden Williams, and Kelsea Bond

After the loss of 2024, these progressive candidates are making politics fun again: 'We can win anywhere'

Run For Something founder Amanda Litman says progressives like Zohran Mamdani are building a new future of political leadership.

An orange steel shipping container home in Phoenix, Arizona in the sun

These innovative, solar-powered shipping containers house 80 homeless people amid scorching summer heat

The new X-WING facility is a new approach to helping homeless residents get off the street and into somewhere safe and cool.

A photo collage of a recycling center, two men sorting through trash, a hand holding a box of Vans, four people posing for a photo, and a TV on a TV console inside a living room

Good News This Week: August 16, 2025 - Shoes, Cheese, & Wheelchairs

Your weekly roundup of the best good news worth celebrating...

A mockup of a 3D-printed house surrounded by trees in Houston

These futuristic 3D-printed homes start at just $200K. One city is building 80 of them.

It's being hailed as the world’s first large-scale affordable housing development to be built using 3D printing technology.

Philadelphia is using AI cameras to keep bus lanes clear. Here's how they could be even more effective

More than 150 Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority buses across Philadelphia are equipped with cameras that detect vehicles blocking bus lanes.

The upper half of The White House with the bright, blue sky in the background

4 ways states are putting guardrails around artificial intelligence, despite a lack of federal regulation

All 50 states have introduced various AI-related legislation in 2025.

In a new pilot program, this city will give homeless young adults $1,200 in cash every month for two years

A new guaranteed income pilot program in Boston aims to set an example for future policies.

A zoomed out shot of a city street in Helsinki, Finland. It is daytime and the road is sparse with cars and people.

Helsinki just went a full year without traffic fatalities — here's their secret

The Finnish capital went 12 months without a traffic-related death. It’s a milestone in the European Union’s mission to achieve zero traffic deaths by 2050.

Seattle announces plan to build 100 tiny homes, combatting city's homelessness crisis

The development of these new tiny home villages comes from a $6 million investment from the city.

A mockup of the Common Grounds apartment building in LA

LA contest challenges 350 designers to create cutting-edge affordable housing. The winners will actually be built

The “Small Lots, Big Impacts” design competition received 356 submissions from 36 different countries.