Workshop
Descriptions

How can local leaders foster productive dialogue when civic discourse feels more fractured than ever? This session equips local officials with practical tools to build a culture of respect, trust and constructive engagement. Drawing on research and proven approaches, participants will hear from local leaders and national organizations on how to use data-driven methods to improve civic conversations, reduce conflict and strengthen community relationships. Hear from local leaders who have successfully implemented civil discourse initiatives and discover strategies that can help transform challenging conversations into opportunities for understanding and community problem-solving

THow are local leaders fostering civility and mutual respect in an increasingly polarized environment? Drawing on lessons from the Municipal Association of South Carolina’s Civility Initiative and a national council of local elected leaders convened by NLC, this session explores what is working, what challenges persist, and what local leaders need to strengthen civic discourse. Participants will hear candid perspectives from peers across the country and leave with real-world examples of successful approaches, insights into common challenges local leaders face, and practical ideas for fostering respectful engagement and productive governance in their own councils and communities.

From passionate advocacy to unexpected outbursts, public comment can be the most challenging part of any public meeting. Yet how local leaders manage these encounters can have a lasting impact on public trust, community engagement and legal risk. This interactive session will equip local officials with practical tools to confidently navigate public comments, handle difficult situations in the moment and create more productive meetings. Hear from local leaders who have transformed chaotic meetings into opportunities for engagement and problem-solving. You will walk away with proven techniques to ensure your public meetings are effective, inclusive and legally defensible.

Residents have concerns about AI, data centers and how emerging technologies are likely to affect community life. This session, designed to help local governments respond to questions and concerns, will deliver guidance on explaining complex issues, addressing public concerns and building community trust. Through real-world examples and practical lessons, attendees will gain insights into the information residents are seeking (including common questions and misconceptions) and learn techniques to make technical topics more accessible and understandable. Come learn how transparency, proactive communication and inclusive engagement can help your community navigate challenges and opportunities related to technology.

Decisions that local governments make about data centers will shape their communities for decades. This session will provide local officials with an information base and set of tools to navigate decision-making about data center proposals with greater confidence. Come examine examples of community benefit agreements, get insights into the perspectives and priorities of developers and industry representatives and learn innovative approaches to securing meaningful benefits for residents. Leave with practical strategies to strengthen negotiations, achieve greater transparency and ensure data center development delivers long-term value for your communities.

Cyber threats have the potential to disrupt local government operations, compromise sensitive data and erode public trust. In this session, participants will get a practical overview of today’s cybersecurity landscape and, through a tabletop exercise, learn ways to strengthen their community’s defenses. Experts will highlight strategies, tools and resources that can improve preparedness, reduce risk and build a more resilient organization capable of responding effectively to emerging cyber threats. Take away valuable ideas to fortify your response plans, coordinate across departments and maintain continuity of operations when cyber incidents occur.

In recent years, the U.S. housing supply gap has widened to an estimated four million homes due to the underproduction of homes, and in turn, the national conversation has been a hyperfocus on production. During this same period of the underproduction of homes, hundreds of thousands of Americans homes, mostly in the South, have been in state of uncertainty due to fractional ownership, forced sales and clouded titles. In this session, participants will gain an understanding of what heirs properties are, strategies and tools to resolving heirs properties, and the need for inclusion of heirs properties in their city’s housing supply strategy with a climate and health lens.

Residents are pressing for political action to address the challenge of housing availability and affordability, and leaders at local, state and federal levels are looking for effective ways to respond. Bipartisan consensus on the need to act makes the issue ripe for coalition building. Join this session to learn about ways that local government can access funding and capacity-building opportunities through partnership. Speakers also will highlight their experiences in protecting local control while still building effective coalitions and strategies with their state and federal counterparts — giving you new ideas on ways to expand affordable housing in your community.

On a single night in 2025 in the United States, there were nearly 750,000 people experiencing homelessness in the United States, according to HUD’s annual point-in-time estimate. While that figure represents a decline of 3% over the previous year, the scale of the crisis remains stubbornly large. Local leaders across the country recognize the need to dispel myths, adopt a clear-sighted approach and develop a cohesive set of responses to reduce homelessness. In this session, some of these leaders will step forward to share details on their investments in homelessness prevention, street outreach, housing development and cross-sector partnerships.

What did NLC’s 2025 nationwide survey of municipal leaders reveal about the challenges that cities, towns and villages face regarding local infrastructure and housing supply availability?

Among the findings: 80% of local leaders indicate they have infrastructure needs that impede local housing production, and about 50% view high infrastructure costs as the most significant barrier to new housing. In this session, we will explore connections among housing and infrastructure and learn how infrastructure constraints can limit growth. Join the discussion about solutions that may fit your community, such as infill development.

Local leaders shouldn’t ignore the ways that extreme weather events, sea level rise, shifting precipitation and runoff patterns, and temperature changes will continue to affect drinking water, wastewater and stormwater systems. Effectively managing these impacts means communities will need to think holistically about integrating climate change into water systems, capital infrastructure and financial planning. This session will help participants gain a better understanding of the risks that climate change poses to water utilities, learn about strategies to mitigate those risks, and anticipate emerging challenges–such as increases in water usage from data centers. 

As wildfires, flooding and extreme heat become more frequent and severe, local leaders must rethink how they can best prepare their communities for future disasters. If your community is looking for practical strategies to strengthen resilience before disasters strike, assess local risks, identify cost-effective mitigation investments and protect housing and businesses, this session is for you. Leaders from a variety of communities will share insights on the progress they’ve made and the hurdles that remain, helping you to map out your own route to greater resilience.

Local leaders know: disasters may last days, but recovery can take years. Join local government leaders for a candid, interactive conversation about what it really takes to help communities recover, rebuild and emerge stronger after a crisis. Through facilitated peer-to-peer discussions, attendees will explore innovative approaches to recovery; learn strategies and practical tactics; and exchange insights on coordinating partners, securing resources and sustaining community resilience over the long term. Participants will leave with actionable ideas, proven practices and a stronger network of peers to support their own recovery planning and preparedness efforts.

Local leaders routinely face difficult—and sometimes heated—interactions with residents, fellow elected officials, colleagues and other stakeholders. What can you do in the moment when a conversation escalates, tensions rise or an interaction becomes uncomfortable? This interactive workshop will equip participants with practical de-escalation techniques, communication strategies and approaches for navigating conflict with greater confidence. Work through real-world local government scenarios and practice techniques for defusing tension, setting appropriate boundaries and moving difficult conversations toward more productive outcomes. Leave with skills you can put to use immediately in council meetings, community settings and everyday interactions.

When cities, towns and villages face complex challenges, local leaders are often expected to solve them using familiar tools and established processes. Yet today’s most pressing issues

often require new ways of thinking. Arts and culture offer powerful tools to help communities move beyond traditional approaches and unlock more creative, inclusive and effective solutions. Explore how arts-based practices can strengthen civic engagement, foster collaboration and transform how local governments approach problem solving. Learn how local leaders can put creative approaches into practice to surface new perspectives, strengthen community connections and tackle complex challenges in new ways.

Strong relationships between local government and residents don’t happen by accident. Authentic community engagement can build trust and belonging, strengthen connections between residents and local leaders, and create more meaningful opportunities for people to help shape their communities. This interactive session will explore approaches cities are using to deepen those relationships and engage residents as active partners. Hear from engagement experts and city leaders putting resident-centered practices into action, then participate in a guided exercise to identify practical opportunities to strengthen engagement in your own community.

Cities across the country are grappling with persistent recruitment and retention challenges in public safety agencies, particularly in law enforcement. Among them are changing workforce expectations, officer wellness concerns, growing immigration-related enforcement responsibilities and demographic representation gaps — all of which can impact service delivery and community trust. This workshop highlights steps to build and sustain the talent pipeline, including efforts to diversify the workforce, support employee well-being and strengthen community relationships. Discover practical examples from peers and discuss where additional resources, partnerships and policy solutions are needed.

Reducing youth violence requires more than enforcement-based approaches. Increasingly, cities are integrating workforce development, education, mentoring and wrap-around services into comprehensive violence prevention strategies. Explore how municipalities are investing in youth employment pathways, career readiness programs, trauma-informed supports and community partnerships to improve outcomes for young people and strengthen public safety.

Hear lessons learned from cities leading innovative approaches, including Baltimore, Louisville, Boston and Minneapolis, and gain practical strategies for adapting these models to fit the needs of your own community.

Opioid settlement funds present an important opportunity for cities—but local leaders are at very different stages in understanding, planning for, and investing these resources. This session will ground participants in what city leaders need to know about opioid settlement funds and explore how communities are putting them to work to address substance use, strengthen behavioral health systems, and advance public safety. Learn from city leaders and subject matter experts about how communities are identifying needs, setting priorities, engaging partners, navigating implementation challenges, and making decisions that can support lasting impact. Whether you’re just learning about opioid settlement funds or already leading your city’s strategy, you’ll leave with practical guidance, examples from other cities, and opportunities to get your questions answered.

Communities across the country are facing unprecedented pressure as the cost of everyday essentials rises and safety-net resources become more constrained. In response, local governments are leading innovative efforts to support residents, strengthen resilience and expand economic opportunity. Come learn from your peers about promising practices to help residents meet basic needs and thrive in challenging economic times. During this session, you’ll find out more about the role that local housing, food, childcare and workforce development programs can play in fostering the community’s economic wellbeing and growth. By the end of this session, attendees will gain strategies for strengthening economic resilience for all residents in their communities.

How can urban and rural communities support economic mobility, stability and opportunity amid demographic shifts? This session will focus on areas of shared concern, such as maintaining and strengthening assets like legacy businesses; preventing the displacement of lower-income residents; developing the care workforce needed to support residents who are aging or living with disability; and facilitating the engagement of young people in the workforce. Hear short

presentations from experts followed by discussions that emphasize best practices for local leaders looking to anticipate, evaluate and proactively respond to demographic shifts in their communities.

Competition for talent is intensifying, employee expectations are changing and many local governments are confronting a wave of retirements. How can cities position themselves to thrive in this new workforce landscape? In this highly interactive workshop, municipal leaders will work through real-world scenarios and tabletop exercises to better understand today’s workforce challenges and opportunities. Participants will gain a practical framework for assessing workforce needs; identifying priority actions; and evaluating strategies that support recruitment, retention and succession planning. Learn from Seattle, Little Rock and Mt. Vernon (Ohio) about strategies to build workforce capacity and meet community expectations.

Transit routes are powerful catalysts within every city’s economic growth plan. Adding new housing, shortening workers’ commutes and community revitalization can build from transit nodes because they draw people and places together. This workshop will explore how local leaders can design and implement effective transit-oriented development strategies that attract businesses, expand housing options, and strengthen local and regional economies. Hear from communities that have leveraged transit hubs while navigating the financing, planning and stakeholder alignment needed for success.