The Latest

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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.

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    Permission granted by WIX Filters
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    Sponsored by WIX Filters

    Why fleet availability is becoming a defining metric for modern cities

    How cities are improving uptime, controlling costs and supporting essential services.

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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.

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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. 

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    Courtesy of Executive Office of the Governor of Michigan
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    Single-staircase reforms aim to boost middle-scale housing in Michigan

    The reforms will make smaller-scale apartment buildings cheaper and easier to build, officials say.

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    "College Park Georgia - Atlanta Area" by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Smaller communities wary of proposed federal grant overhaul

    The changes could discourage small cities from applying for federal funding and increase municipal budget uncertainty, College Park, Georgia, Mayor Bianca Motley Broom says.

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    Public benefits of land use don’t outweigh local zoning, New Jersey Supreme Court says

    The ruling was hailed by the state’s municipal league as a major win for local authority. 

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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    NYC building failure triggered citywide inspection campaign

    Inspectors expanded scrutiny across multiple office-to-residential projects after a high-profile beam failure, highlighting the challenges of converting aging buildings to housing.

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    Courtesy of Joby Aviation
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    Tracker

    Air taxis and urban air mobility: The latest developments

    Joby Aviation's vertiport plan targets Florida, New York and Texas.

    Updated Aug. 4, 2026
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    30+ water utility cyberattacks expose a vulnerability across US cities

    Attackers remotely accessed industrial controllers at water systems in seven states. The campaign suggests a common weakness utilities everywhere should address, experts warn.

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    olrat via Getty Images
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    High-speed trains would get new noise regulations in FRA proposal

    The update “will remove a major obstacle” to future U.S. high-speed rail projects, the Federal Railroad Administrator said.

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    Apu Gomes/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    LA homelessness ticks up after two years of declines

    Funding cuts in Los Angeles city and county are the primary cause for increased homelessness this year, local agencies say.

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    Courtesy of Zoox
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    Zoox purpose-built robotaxis get first-ever nod from NHTSA for paid rides

    No steering wheel, no pedals, no problem: Zoox will start charging customers for rides in Las Vegas next month, following approval by local regulators.

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    SNAP cuts could shift new costs onto cities, mayors say

    Emergency services could be impacted, and the reduced federal food assistance and higher administrative costs will ripple through local economies, city leaders warn.

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    Getty Images
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    Seattle pares back environmental review appeals in effort to ramp up housing development

    The reform eliminates an administrative step that has held up new zoning and housing planning efforts, advocates say.

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    Permission granted by City of Boston
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    Boston’s $10B coastal resilience infrastructure plan wins access to billions in federal funding

    The city qualifies for a 65% federal cost share following a U.S. Army Corps feasibility study, paving the way for more than 20 flood-protection projects expected to prevent $41 billion in damages.

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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    $610M available for FTA bus grants

    This round could close out five years of Federal Transit Administration bus investments from the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure law, with future funding uncertain.

  • World Cup bound soccer fans stream past signs up an escalator and stairs at Penn Station in New York City.
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    Adam Gray via Getty Images
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    These cities’ short-term rental income spiked the most from the World Cup

    A 60% average surge in short-term rental income was not evenly distributed among host cities, an analysis found — largely due to local regulations.

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    (2026). [Photograph]. Retrieved from U.S. Department of Transportation.
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    Trump reveals plans for $22.5B Dulles airport overhaul

    Municipal bonds and public-private partnership opportunities would finance Trump’s plan to modernize Washington Dulles International Airport.

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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Washington Union Station renovation seeks private investment

    The U.S. Department of Transportation will invest $24 million to develop a public-private partnership, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said.

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    Getty Images
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    AI adoption by local governments outpaces public trust: survey

    Transparency about AI use and quality of digital infrastructure were among the issues where resident perceptions were less favorable, the survey found.

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    "The street beneath the underground" by Franck Michel is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Accessible pedestrian signal rollout in Chicago ahead of targets, but technical gaps persist: report

    Improvements are needed to ensure blind and low-vision pedestrians can safely use the system, inspectors say, but the city has exceeded its court-ordered installation requirement.

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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Waymo robotaxis safer than human drivers: IIHS report

    Waymo vehicles operating in self-driving mode were involved in 68% fewer crashes than human drivers in comparable conditions, according to a new Insurance Institute for Highway Safety report.

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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    HUD funding changes spur lawsuit from fair housing groups

    Funding for more than 100 nonprofit fair housing organizations nationwide is in jeopardy following a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development program revision, the lawsuit states.