The Latest

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    Courtesy of California High-Speed Rail Authority
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    California high-speed rail project could run out of money by end of 2027, inspector general says

    State infusions of $1 billion a year over 20 years won’t come fast enough to keep construction on track, the authority’s Office of Inspector General said.

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    Getty Images
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    State preemption laws are changing the land use landscape

    More than 500 state bills containing clauses preempting county land use authority were introduced across 40 states, a National Association of Counties analysis found.

  • A red fire engine speeds through a city street with tall buildings in the background.
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    Opinion

    Fire response is infrastructure. Cities should treat it that way.

    Aging fleets and increasingly demanding fire conditions require cities to rethink how they support the technology behind emergency response.

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    Getty Images
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    Housing supply, affordability barriers the focus of US Chamber housing council

    Building on ROAD to Housing law momentum, the advisory council will push for zoning, permitting, capital and workforce measures it says could result in more housing.

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    Courtesy of Metrolink
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    Commuter railroads scramble to meet 24% jump in liability insurance coverage requirements

    Passenger railroads have until Sept. 4 to find new policies they can afford. If they can't, they may have to cease operating, an industry advocate warns.

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    Getty Images
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    Online payments: 8 ways cities can make them easier and safer

    Cities need to think beyond the payment portal to consider integration, security and user experience when implementing electronic payments, experts say.

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    Spencer Platt/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    NYC luxury home tax moves ahead while courts review lawsuit

    A Staten Island judge ordered a halt to the city’s rollout of a new “pied-à-terre” tax. The city’s appeal stayed the order.

  • A red, white and blue locomotive and train at a station with a person walking toward an escalator.
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    Dave Collins via Getty Images
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    FTA grants $1.28B for Utah commuter rail

    The 83-mile FrontRunner rail line connecting Ogden, Salt Lake City and Provo would get more trains and track, but federal funding questions could impact the project.

  • A person wipes their face surrounded by a crowd on a subway platform.
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    Michael Nagle via Getty Images
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    Steamy-hot subways are a problem in New York. They could become a clean-energy asset.

    An $800,000 study will examine whether subway stations’ excess heat in the summer could warm municipal buildings in colder months.

    Updated Aug. 12, 2026
  • View of downtown Houston during sunset on a clear day with townhouses on the foreground. Viewed from Washington Avenue area.
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    Getty Images
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    Adding to Texas housing affordability challenges are soaring home insurance prices

    Premiums have surged 30% in Texas in the past five years, while median income has only grown 3%, a study by the Kinder Institute for Urban Research at Rice University found.

  • A small yellow aircraft with six propellers parked on an airport apron.
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    Courtesy of Wisk Aero
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    Archer Aviation to acquire eVTOL company Wisk Aero from Boeing

    The aircraft giant will acquire nearly 20% of Archer's Class A shares and make a future stock investment in the company.

  • The front of a government building with an American flag on top under a blue sky with clouds.
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    Getty Images
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    Cyberattack impacts critical public safety operations in California city

    Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a state AI cyberdefense program in the wake of the ongoing cybersecurity incident in Suisun City, California.

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    Getty Images
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    Protecting water systems from cyberattacks: 5 steps cities can take now

    Hacking is getting easier. But the real problem is that many systems were never designed with cyberattacks in mind, experts say.

  • A green bus at a bus stop with two people on the sidewalk and tall buildings in the background.
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    Courtesy of New Flyer
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    Transit bus orders remain strong in North America, bus manufacturer says

    U.S. transit agencies need to replenish their aging bus fleets, driving demand despite tariffs and uncertain future funding, NFI Group’s CEO said.

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    Heather Diehl via Getty Images
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    Changes to HUD homelessness aid again blocked by court

    The agency’s new criteria for access to $4 billion in funding for local governments to address homelessness failed to follow administrative procedures, a Rhode Island judge ruled.

  • Person in blue suit at a podium surrounded by people beside and behind.
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    (2026). "Thune: Congress Has Important Work Ahead, Starting With Government Funding" [Video]. Retrieved from John Thune.
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    Surface Transportation Legislation

    Reduced transportation funding approved by Senate in stopgap bill

    Public transit faces a 20% cut and passenger rail an 83% cut in the Senate reconciliation bill, which funds the federal government until Dec. 11.

    Updated Aug. 10, 2026
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    As Flock surveillance camera backlash grows, one governor tells cities to pause installations

    Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is asking police officials to develop guidelines on surveillance technology and clarify how data is collected and used.

  • Two people prepare to enter a Waymo ride-haling vehicle in San Francisco.
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    Courtesy of Waymo
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    Uber, Waymo go from robotaxi partners to competitors

    Each company plans to grow its robotaxi operations in the coming years as cities deal with regulations, lobbying and safety issues.

  • A row of unfinished houses at various stages of construction under a blue sky with mountains in the background.
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    Justin Sullivan/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    For local governments, full benefits of ROAD to Housing Act could take years, analysis shows

    The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act adds to the U.S. Department of Housing and Development's workload — with a significantly reduced staff.

  • A person driving and a person in the back seat of a black car.
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    Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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    How ride-hailing services Uber, Lyft boosted local economies: Carnegie Mellon study

    Per capita GDP and gig employment — but not total employment — grew in the regions where these services launched in the 2010s, the study found.

  • A three-story building with a glass wall surrounded by multistory buildings.
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    Permission granted by Wichita State University
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    Opinion

    Cities need a new workforce strategy. Universities should be part of it.

    Local governments facing labor shortages can build stronger talent pipelines and improve public services through deeper partnerships with higher education, a criminal justice professor says.

  • Aerial View of San Francisco Skyline at Sunrise, California, USA
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    Getty Images
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    These 8 ‘intelligent’ US cities are tops for technology services

    More big cities are embracing AI and digital technology to serve residents. These are the ones doing it best, a new Boston Consulting Group analysis says.

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    Jemal Countess via Getty Images
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    Uber to operate robotaxis in Los Angeles, San Francisco this year

    Uber will launch its first fleet of Lucid robotaxis as it continues partnerships with Waymo, Motional and Avride, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said.

  • A person wearing a blue shirt reaches for cilantro in a grocery produce section.
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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    The American Dream has evolved. Cities need to catch up, a new report says.

    Economic mobility depends on far more than income. Cities must also invest in health, jobs and community connection to help residents thrive, the McKinsey Institute for Economic Mobility and the W.K. Kellogg Foundation found.

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    Kevin Dietsch via Getty Images
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    $20B in federal climate grants unblocked by appeals court

    A divided court rejected the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s attempt to reclaim Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grants “based solely on a policy disagreement” with the Inflation Reduction Act.