diff --git a/.claude/commands/start-work-cascade.md b/.claude/commands/start-work-cascade.md
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/.claude/commands/start-work-cascade.md
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+---
+description: Start a cross-repo worktree cascade for a task
+argument-hint: <task-name> [repo...]
+---
+
+Create one worktree per repo for this task, so cross-repo changes can be
+developed in parallel with matching branch names.
+
+Run:
+
+```bash
+start-work-cascade <task-name> [repo...]
+```
+
+Defaults to `reading-room open-agent agent-skills` under `~/src/personal`.
+Each worktree lands at `<repo>/.claude/worktrees/<task-name>` on branch
+`<task-name>` off `origin/main` — the same convention reading-room already
+uses. Existing worktrees are skipped.
+
+After the work is done and merged, clean up with:
+
+```bash
+worktree-cascade-done <task-name>
+```
+
+which removes each worktree and deletes the branch (refusing unmerged
+branches, mirroring `just worktree-done`).
+
+If the task touches repos outside the default set, pass them explicitly:
+`/start-work-cascade my-task the-met-db wateralert-backend datalink`
diff --git a/.claude/settings.local.json.template b/.claude/settings.local.json.template
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f6a764a
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+++ b/.claude/settings.local.json.template
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+{
+  "permissions": {
+    "allow": [
+      "Bash(deno task:*)",
+      "Bash(deno check:*)",
+      "Bash(deno fmt:*)",
+      "Bash(deno lint:*)",
+      "Bash(deno test:*)",
+      "Bash(git status)",
+      "Bash(git diff:*)",
+      "Bash(git log:*)",
+      "Bash(git show:*)",
+      "Bash(git branch:*)",
+      "Bash(git worktree:*)",
+      "Bash(gh pr:*)",
+      "Bash(gh run:*)",
+      "Bash(gh api repos/tlockney/*)",
+      "Read(//tmp/**)",
+      "Read(//Users/tlockney/src/personal/**)"
+    ]
+  }
+}
diff --git a/bin/start-work-cascade b/bin/start-work-cascade
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..635b1b6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/start-work-cascade
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# start-work-cascade — create one worktree per repo for a task, across
+# multiple repos, so a cross-repo change can be developed in parallel
+# worktrees with matching branch names.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   start-work-cascade <task-name> [repo...]
+#
+# Default repos (personal): reading-room open-agent agent-skills
+# Override with: START_WORK_CASCADE_REPOS="repo1 repo2" or pass repos as args.
+#
+# Each worktree lands at <repo>/.claude/worktrees/<task-name> on branch
+# <task-name> off origin/main — the same convention reading-room already
+# uses. Idempotent: existing worktrees are skipped, not recreated.
+set -euo pipefail
+
+TASK="${1:-}"
+if [ -z "$TASK" ]; then
+  echo "usage: start-work-cascade <task-name> [repo...]" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+shift || true
+
+if [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; then
+  REPOS=("$@")
+elif [ -n "${START_WORK_CASCADE_REPOS:-}" ]; then
+  read -r -a REPOS <<< "$START_WORK_CASCADE_REPOS"
+else
+  REPOS=(reading-room open-agent agent-skills)
+fi
+
+SRC_ROOT="${START_WORK_CASCADE_ROOT:-$HOME/src/personal}"
+
+created=0
+skipped=0
+for repo in "${REPOS[@]}"; do
+  dir="$SRC_ROOT/$repo"
+  if [ ! -d "$dir/.git" ] && [ ! -f "$dir/.git" ]; then
+    echo "skip: $repo (not a repo at $dir)" >&2
+    continue
+  fi
+  dest="$dir/.claude/worktrees/$TASK"
+  if [ -e "$dest" ]; then
+    echo "skip: $repo (worktree exists: $dest)"
+    skipped=$((skipped + 1))
+    continue
+  fi
+  (
+    cd "$dir"
+    git fetch -q origin
+    git worktree add "$dest" -b "$TASK" origin/main
+  )
+  echo "created: $dest"
+  created=$((created + 1))
+done
+
+echo
+echo "cascade ready: $created created, $skipped skipped"
+echo "branches: $TASK (one per repo)"
diff --git a/bin/worktree-cascade-done b/bin/worktree-cascade-done
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..1a94f48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/worktree-cascade-done
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# worktree-cascade-done — finish a cascade: remove the worktree and branch
+# in every repo that has one for the task. Mirrors the dotfiles
+# `just worktree-done` semantics: -d (never -D) so unmerged branches are
+# refused, and the launcher checkout is left alone.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   worktree-cascade-done <task-name> [repo...]
+set -euo pipefail
+
+TASK="${1:-}"
+if [ -z "$TASK" ]; then
+  echo "usage: worktree-cascade-done <task-name> [repo...]" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+shift || true
+
+if [ "$#" -gt 0 ]; then
+  REPOS=("$@")
+elif [ -n "${START_WORK_CASCADE_REPOS:-}" ]; then
+  read -r -a REPOS <<< "$START_WORK_CASCADE_REPOS"
+else
+  REPOS=(reading-room open-agent agent-skills)
+fi
+
+SRC_ROOT="${START_WORK_CASCADE_ROOT:-$HOME/src/personal}"
+
+removed=0
+for repo in "${REPOS[@]}"; do
+  dir="$SRC_ROOT/$repo"
+  dest="$dir/.claude/worktrees/$TASK"
+  if [ ! -d "$dest" ]; then
+    continue
+  fi
+  (
+    cd "$dir"
+    git worktree remove "$dest"
+    git branch -d "$TASK" 2>/dev/null || echo "  $repo: branch $TASK not deleted (unmerged?)"
+  )
+  echo "removed: $dest"
+  removed=$((removed + 1))
+done
+
+echo "cascade done: $removed worktrees removed"