The Latest

  • A person with a beard in front of a sign that says FEMA.
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    Al Drago via Getty Images
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    FEMA

    FEMA shutdown threatens local reimbursements, training and long-term recovery

    As Congress fails to reach a DHS funding deal, emergency managers are bracing for delayed payments, stalled grants and deeper uncertainty in an already strained federal disaster system.

  • 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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    NYC commits to $1B expansion of its automated traffic safety enforcement program

    The New York City Department of Transportation will quadruple the number of red-light camera installations across the five boroughs and upgrade older equipment.

  • Close up of EV charger with cars parked in background
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    Trump administration moves to require 100% domestic materials in EV chargers

    Renewable energy advocates say the proposal would further delay the buildout of charging station infrastructure and undermine U.S. competitiveness.

  • A tanker truck on a road amid trees and mountains passes a sign "Speed Limit 65" and above another sign "Slow down 69."
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    narvikk via Getty Images
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    Will drivers accept technologies that limit speeding?

    A study in California, where Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a bill to require speed-assistance systems in new vehicles, concluded that driver education and control would help acceptance.

  • Large room with windows on one side and stacks of books on another and a long table with several chairs along the window wall.
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    Libraries are central to community life. Many are in aging buildings that are falling apart.

    Most U.S. library buildings face deferred maintenance, aging systems and limited funding options that put core civic services at risk, a new GAO report found.

    Updated Feb. 13, 2026
  • A creative image depicting empty voting booths on election day.
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    Gaps persist between impact and opportunity in youth civic participation

    Local government leaders saw K-12 schools as the most valuable institutions for positive effects on civic participation, according to a recent CivicPulse survey.

  • A woman wearing glasses sits at a dais with a sign reading, "Mrs. Dingell, Michigan."
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    (2026). "CMT Hearing: Examining Ways to Strengthen Automotive Safety, Affordability, and Leadership" [Video]. Retrieved from House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
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    AV bill narrowly passes through House committee

    Democrats balked at limits to state and local governments' ability to regulate AVs, but they expect a bipartisan bill to emerge.

    Updated Feb. 11, 2026
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    More cities are looking to expand multilingual access to services. Could AI spell the answer?

    Wordly launched an AI platform designed to expand real-time captioning and translations for local government operations.

  • Metal sign that says Environmental Protection Agency on stone wall of building.
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    White House will revoke EPA climate endangerment finding Thursday, Leavitt says

    The Trump administration is calling it the largest deregulatory action in U.S. history. Environmental leaders say local governments must now safeguard public health and climate resilience.

    Updated Feb. 11, 2026
  • An articulated blue bus stopped at a curb with a woman on the sidewalk and apartment buildings with fire escapes behind.
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Bus driver retention requires better scheduling, communication: report

    “Driver retention is about quality of life,” said an Optibus executive who helped lead a 22-page study released today.

  • A person points to a screen showing a hurricane map.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    6 investments to maximize climate resilience

    Cities can get the most economic return on their preparedness spending — while protecting jobs and businesses — with these strategies, new research says.

  • A blue tent on a city street with a view of skyscrapers in the background
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    Los Angeles’ encampment cleanup program may displace more people than it helps, study finds

    As efforts to clear encampments continue, unhoused individuals in LA are being forced to move around, according to a UCLA study.

  • A red construction frame in front of a high-rise building under construction.
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    Getty Images
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    What needs to happen for urban apartment development to return?

    Parking requirements, permit fees and zoning reform are among the solutions that would incentivize higher-density development, housing advocates say.

  • Red sign that says "Now hiring"
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    Gwengoat via Getty Images
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    Local governments hired hundreds of former federal workers last year

    Following DOGE efforts that led to a mass exodus of federal employees in 2025, Civic Match says it has connected nearly 200 of them with local government jobs.

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    Heather Diehl via Getty Images
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    A US senator introduced a bill to ‘end sanctuary cities.’ The cities are doubling down.

    The new Senate bill, introduced Thursday, would condition federal dollars on cooperation with immigration enforcement. On Friday, New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani expanded restrictions on ICE operations and data access.

  • Two people wearing black seen from the wait down walk by a sign with an arrow and the word "Uber."
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Uber prepares for World Cup with payment kiosks for international tourists

    The kiosks, to be installed at airports, hotels and ports, enable visitors to easily book and pay for a ride.

  • People entering a bus stopped at a curb.
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    Courtesy of Valley Transportation Authority
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    How one city increased transit bus speeds by 20%

    San José, California, employs AI traffic signaling to favor buses, helping keep them on schedule.

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    Kansas City, Missouri, moves to the forefront of data center zoning with new ordinance

    U.S. communities are watching closely as Kansas City reclassifies data centers as industrial facilities and launches a review of their impacts on water, power, climate goals and economic growth.

  • A sign that welcomes visitors to the city of Sacramento sits in the foreground, in front of a tall, white, domed building. Ahead is a long shot of grass, with buildings on the periphery.
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    Getty Images
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    With a boost from Meta, Sacramento eyes more affordable student housing

    Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pledged $50 million for a downtown project that will facilitate affordable housing, STEM facilities and an AI center.

  • A technician replaces a light bulb outside a senior's home.
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    John Moore via Getty Images
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    Federal energy-assistance programs survive budget gauntlet

    President Trump signed budget bills to maintain funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program on Feb. 3, 2026.

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    Philadelphia’s $2B bet on affordable housing

    The city’s HOME initiative aims to build and preserve 30,000 housing units.

  • Two people standing inside a train wearing uniforms reading "transit ambassador."
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    The image by Battlesnake1, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons is licensed under CC BY 1.0
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    US House bill would fund transit safety ambassadors

    The bill aims to provide federal grants for programs based on a successful initiative to reduce crime on San Francisco’s Bay Area Rapid Transit system.

  • Burned-down neighborhood
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Column

    Beyond resilience: The case for regenerative, restorative cities

    City leaders are redefining resilience as a system that regenerates ecosystems, restores communities and listens to residents.

  • Back view of a man holding a smartphone in front of a white Waymo vehicle with an Uber sign on the front door.
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    Courtesy of Uber Technologies
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    Uber CEO outlines AV plans

    Uber expects to have robotaxis in 15 cities by the end of this year, but AVs will not replace all human drivers, the company’s CEO said.

  • Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stands in front of a podium, speaking with a hand raised.
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    HHS launches $100M program to address homelessness, substance abuse in 8 localities

    HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the pilot program will be open to faith-based organizations.