The Latest

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    Affordable housing standard evolves from sustainability to resilience

    Updated Enterprise Green Communities Criteria focus on extreme heat, wildfire, flooding and power outages, treating climate risk as a core housing responsibility.

    Updated 4 hours ago
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    AdobeStock/1919576325 Jason Wells

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    Sponsored by PayIt

    Digital government’s next challenge: Making systems work together

    Governments have digitized services. The challenge now is getting them to work harder.

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    Court narrows New Jersey’s case against RealPage in rent-setting suit

    A federal judge partially dismissed claims against the rental software provider and several major landlords in a suit that alleges collusion to raise rent prices.

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    The EPA wants to test for microplastics in drinking water. Here’s what that means for cities.

    Microplastics pose risks that science and monitoring tools aren’t equipped to fully capture, which could produce “uninformative and potentially misleading” results, an expert says. 

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    Single-staircase reform proposed in California

    Reducing the number of staircases smaller multifamily buildings require could unlock more housing, advocates say, but a state fire marshal report urges caution.

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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Tracker

    Robotaxis: The latest developments

    Waymo’s permit to provide public rides in New York City expired March 31, but the company continues to expand in other U.S. cities.  

    Updated April 8, 2026
  • An engineer repairs an electricity pole as smoke billows after overnight airstrikes on oil depots on March 8, 2026 in Tehran, Iran.
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    Majid Saeedi/Getty Image via Getty Images
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    Energy authority is ‘actively monitoring the grid’ following Iran-linked cyber threat

    Hackers have disrupted critical U.S. infrastructure by targeting programmable logic controllers, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned.

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    Nathan Howard via Getty Images
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    Trump budget proposal once again targets affordable housing, homeless assistance

    Elimination of the HOME Investment Partnerships and Community Development Block Grant programs would be part of the 13% cut in the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s discretionary budget.

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    Courtesy of Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority
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    Los Angeles to open subway extension May 8

    The nearly 4-mile extension is the first of three that will provide a through ride from downtown Los Angeles to Beverly Hills by 2027.

  • A person wearing a red shirt carries a bronze bust on their shoulder next to a ladder while another person looks on.
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    Michael Ciaglo via Getty Images
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    Cities’ moves to rename Chavez landmarks can be complex and costly

    Local governments are fast-tracking the renaming of Cesar Chavez parks, schools and streets, but those symbolic decisions can carry significant price tags.

  • President Donald Trump walks to a podium with the presidential seal followed by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin. A sign on the stage says "Largest Deregulation in U.S. History."
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    Trump’s FY27 budget slashes climate and disaster funding, shifting costs to cities and states

    Deep cuts to FEMA, EPA and climate programs would force local governments to absorb preparedness, infrastructure and resilience costs.

  • Exterior view of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development headquarters.
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    Kent Nishimura via Getty Images
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    Trump administration effort to rewrite federal housing grant criteria hits setbacks

    A judge found the administration illegally imposed a criteria change for federal funds, and an appeals court upheld an order blocking Trump from cutting permanent supportive housing grants.

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    Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
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    Surface Transportation Legislation

    5 policy principles that will be key to next surface transportation bill

    A Consumer Reports white paper evaluates six options to fund highways, bridges and mass transit.

  • Aerial view of a modern houses in a new housing development.
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    Housing referrals from United Way helpline hit all-time high: ‘a sounding alarm for communities’

    The 211 network saw “a sharp increase in people struggling — particularly around finding and keeping stable housing,” a United Way representative said.

  • 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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    Automated traffic safety cameras: life-saving or revenue-raising?

    Automated technologies have reduced speeding and red-light violations in some cities. The U.S. Department of Transportation wants to limit their use.

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    Can raising city wages drive local growth? Detroit is about to find out.

    Local leaders across the U.S. are betting that livable wages for city employees can strengthen consumer stability and community investment. But the policy could force tough choices on taxes and spending, an expert says.

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    mphillips007 via Getty Images
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    FTC seeks public input on junk fee rule for rental housing

    The agency is continuing to crack down on unfair or deceptive advertising in the rental housing industry.

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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    US traffic deaths in 2025 lowest since 2019

    National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates have shown continued declines in roadway fatalities since 2022.

  • Aerial view of a home with solar panels on the roof and a swimming pool.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    How cities can encourage faster, cheaper rooftop solar

    Permitting delays, inconsistent inspections and local utility rules add thousands to rooftop solar costs, pushing installers to avoid certain jurisdictions. Cities can fix that, a new report says.

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    Federal build-to-rent limits could reduce housing supply, researchers warn

    Provisions in the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act forcing the sale of BTR homes could mean 72,000 fewer houses are built each year, a recent Urban Institute study found.

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    Cities, states, environmental groups sue EPA over repeal of mercury and air toxics standards

    Public health and environmental groups say the rollback puts communities at risk. The EPA says it will cut transportation and energy costs.

    Updated April 1, 2026
  • Night scense of a multilane road filled with cars and a school bus stopped at a red light.
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    Generative AI is the future of traffic engineering, Miovision says

    Its AI agent for transit authorities and traffic engineers provides both efficiency and safety benefits, the company says.

  • Water treatment plant infrastructure at sunset.
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    Opinion

    3 things cities can do to address the water crisis

    Water infrastructure in the U.S. needs to be updated, and city leaders have a critical role to play.

  • A bicyclist rides along Market Street near pedestrians crossing the street in San Francisco, California. Three buses and a car are visible.
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    US DOT opens $1B in funding for safe streets and roads

    Eligible projects can include those for pedestrians, bicyclists, public transportation, motorists and commercial vehicle operators.

  • Detroit, Michigan, USA downtown skyline from above at dusk.
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    AI in local government? Detroit residents are ‘not widely convinced’ it belongs.

    Support for artificial intelligence in city operations is largely contingent on what localities are using it for, a University of Michigan study found.

  • A large green motor coach crossing an intersection under a deep blue sky.
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Opinion

    Mega-events are coming. Cities are overlooking their most affordable transit fix.

    As the U.S. prepares for the 2026 World Cup, America 250 and the 2028 Olympics, transportation systems will be pushed to their limits. Intercity buses offer scalable capacity at minimal public cost.