The Latest

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    Washington, D.C.’s answer to public sector brain drain: 2024 Crown Communities winner

    Facing a “silver tsunami” of retirements and inequities in hiring, the District of Columbia is using paid internships to bring in young, diverse talent that’s ready to lead.

  • People walking on a station platform as a silver trains lettered "CTA" has its doors open.
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    Brian Kersey via Getty Images
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    Illinois legislature passes transit-friendly bill

    The legislation averts proposed service cuts and fare hikes with $1.5 billion in funding for Chicago’s public transit network.

  • People wearing military uniforms and helmets with a crowd of protesters behind them.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Newsom moves to reclaim control of California National Guard

    State officials filed a district court motion arguing the Trump administration’s continued federalization of state troops has outlived its purpose and diverts resources from firefighting, drug enforcement and food relief.

  • Aerial view from skyline with skyscrapers in Brooklyn downtown New York on the Hudson river
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    4 housing measures on the ballot in New York City

    Voters weigh in tomorrow on measures aimed at fast-tracking affordable housing development.

  • The U.S. Capitol stands in the distance as morning traffic moves along North Capitol Street Northwest on October 01, 2025 in Washington, DC. The government shut down early Wednesday after Congress failed to reach a funding deal.
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    Chip Somodevilla / Staff via Getty Images
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    Commuters lost nearly 8 work days in 2024 to record-high traffic levels, report finds

    Cities need to make monitoring technologies more efficient, improve road emergency response and diversify development patterns to help relieve congestion, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute says.

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    Eric Thayer via Getty Images
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    Tracker

    Robotaxis: The latest developments

    Uber announced plans to develop and manufacture 100,000 robotaxis in partnership with leading technology companies.

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    OlegAlbinsky via Getty Images
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    NYC’s co-ops worry they can’t afford to decarbonize. A new road map offers a path from fear to funding.

    Flexible incentives, zoning reform and collaboration could help co-op boards overcome Local Law 97’s financial and regulatory hurdles, the report states.

  • townhouses, Houston, Texas, fourth ward, brick, apartments
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    Keeping people in their homes as evictions surge: 2024 Crown Communities Award winner

    A Harris County, Texas, court is educating tenants about the eviction process and connecting them with legal aid.

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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Column

    5 ways local governments can prepare for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s effects on social services

    Medicaid and SNAP recipients will face more stringent eligibility requirements and more frequent verification. Communication, technology and partnerships can help governments adjust.  

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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Millions face hunger as SNAP funding ends — and cities race to respond

    Cities are creating emergency nutrition funds, reopening COVID-era aid programs and pleading with federal officials as the government shutdown threatens to cut off food assistance this weekend.

    Updated Oct. 31, 2025
  • Yellow sign with graphic of a traffic signal reads "Red light photo enforced" over another yellow sign depicting pedestrians against a blurred backround of a city street.
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    New York City will expand its automated red-light camera program

    Verra Mobility will add 450 more signalized intersections as part of an expanded agreement with the city's transportation department.

  • A person wearing a hat with a face covering and a inflatable duck costume surrounded by smoke.
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    Mathieu Lewis-Rolland via Getty Images
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    Ninth Circuit agrees to rehear Oregon’s challenge to troop deployment in Portland

    The federal court reasserted temporary limits on Trump’s power to send National Guard troops into the city. Meanwhile, a trial testing DHS claims that local law enforcement can’t contain protests is underway.

    Updated Oct. 30, 2025
  • An aerial view of St. Paul, Minnesota depicts buildings and a bridge near a river.
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    St. Paul, Minnesota, fell victim to a cyberattack in July. It’s still recovering.

    The city worked with the FBI and Minnesota National Guard in the wake of an incident that revealed the increasing severity of cyberattacks on cities.

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    Courtesy of California High-Speed Rail Authority
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    Q&A

    California high-speed rail CEO has a plan to get the project back on track

    A construction engineer by trade, Ian Choudri hired a new team, reworked the project plan and says it’s time to “build more and go forward.”

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    5 actions cities can take to keep climate goals on track

    Local action is filling the void as the Trump administration pulls back from climate commitments. A new report details how cities can deliver emissions cuts — even without federal support.

  • Aerial shot of Charlottesville, Virginia on a cloudy afternoon in early Fall.
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    How Charlottesville, Virginia, is getting its zoning back

    The city is settling a lawsuit that left it without a zoning ordinance since this summer.

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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    FEMA delays $11B in reimbursements as states brace for tighter disaster budgets

    The agency’s shifting of COVID-related payments into the next fiscal year highlights mounting fiscal pressure on its Disaster Relief Fund and growing uncertainty for states counting on federal aid, the National Association of Counties says.

  • The letters A and I stand on a digital background in a conceptual graphic designed to represent artificial intelligence.
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    How state CIOs are using GenAI

    More than 80% of state CIOs say their employees are using generative artificial intelligence in their daily work, a recent survey found.

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    How local governments are tackling traffic deaths with technology

    AI, automated traffic enforcement and connected vehicle technology are some of what cities and counties are trying to make their streets safer.

  • Scaffolds covering a building in New York City.
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    Apartment conversion projects surge

    A record-breaking 180,585 apartments are being developed from office spaces, hotels and other buildings as major cities actively transform underperforming properties, per a RentCafe report.

  • Low angle view of people on a train platform under a canopy with a red and white self-propelled passenger train alongside marked Caltrain.
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    Permission granted by Caltrain
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    Caltrain ridership up 47% after electrification

    A $2.72 billion project to replace diesel trains with electric trains on the San Francisco Bay Area commuter railroad increased train service, attracting more riders.

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    Building a granny flat or tiny house in Charlotte, North Carolina? The city might spot you up to $80K.

    Housing-strapped Charlotte is loaning homeowners money to build smaller rental accessory dwelling units on their properties.

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    Permission granted by Lucas County, Ohio
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    Column

    How one county is benefiting from digital asset lifecycle management

    Lucas County, Ohio’s geographic information system-centered ALM system connects people, processes and data, greatly enhancing its infrastructure management and community development workflows.

  • An American flag and a flag bearing the seal of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (which features an eagle holding a shield with elements of a skyline on it) flank a large upright square panel bearing the same CISA seal. On the wall to the right of the panel and the flags, a row of digital clocks shows the time in the four major U.S. time zones.
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    Eric Geller/Smart Cities Dive
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    Trump administration dismantles CISA division linking feds, cities and critical infrastructure

    Eliminating nearly 100 cybersecurity staffers severs key collaboration channels with cities, health systems and energy providers at a time when attacks on infrastructure are accelerating.

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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    National Guard in cities: What leaders need to know as legal battles intensify

    As court rulings shift “hour by hour,” experts say city officials must build a united front with law enforcement, businesses and communities — before troops arrive.