The Latest

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    Michael M. Santiago/ via Getty Images
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    FEMA’s $1B BRIC relaunch prioritizes shovel-ready projects

    Communities with mature project plans, early benefit-cost analyses and proven delivery capacity will be best positioned to win resilience dollars, experts say.

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    Adobe Stock / kasipat

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    Sponsored by PCL Construction

    The journey to low-carbon concrete

    Concrete is a major source of greenhouse gas emissions. PCL is testing smart, low‑carbon solutions.

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    Getty Images
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    EPA to formally rescind certain PFAS drinking water regulations

    The agency proposed two rules: one to rescind drinking water standards for four PFAS and another to allow some water utilities to delay enforcement on PFOS and PFOA until 2031. A hearing is set for July 7.

  • Men and women seated along a row of tables with two rows of chairs behind them.
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    (2026). "Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Member Day" [Video]. Retrieved from T&I Committee Republicans/YouTube.
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    Surface Transportation Legislation

    House committee agrees to $580B surface transportation legislation

    The Republican and Democratic leaders of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee propose EV registration fees and continued funding for Amtrak and public transportation.

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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    HUD chief defends proposed budget cuts amid Senate scrutiny

    Secretary Scott Turner had occasional heated exchanges with legislators as he sought approval for a 13% reduction in his agency’s fiscal 2027 budget.

  • Three people wearing dark suits and one person wearing a blue dress stand with their hands raised.
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    Alex Wong via Getty Images
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    Sanctuary from what? Abortion, gun rights, other measures test the limits of local sanctuary policies.

    As cities adopt protections for trans people, reproductive care, the unborn, gun owners and even bears, questions about enforcement, legal stakes and the cost of defying higher governments remain.

  • The U.S. Capitol building photographed at dusk from the front left.
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    Getty Images
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    US House releases ROAD to Housing bill without build-to-rent sale mandate

    The bill is “the most significant legislation to increase housing supply in years” and could provide “more housing affordability in communities across the country,” housing industry advocates say.

  • A rusty wheel with blue chipping paint above a concrete basin with flowing water.
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    Getty Images
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    Cities sound alarm on crumbling water infrastructure

    Aging assets, stricter regulations, climate risks and fiscal restraints are contributing to problems long hidden underground, a new National League of Cities report finds.

  • Two yellow and white transit buses side by side alongside a light rail station.
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    Rick Kern via Getty Images
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    Dallas suburb exits regional transit agency

    Highland Park, Texas, lost bus, paratransit and on-demand services after voters chose to withdraw from the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system.

  • A person in a suit and tie stands behind a microphone at a podium. Behind him, several people watch.
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    Retrieved from Governor Gavin Newsom.
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    California governor proposes $500M to address homelessness — with new strings

    Localities seeking Homeless Housing Assistance and Prevention funding would have to demonstrate efforts to address homeless encampments in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s revised state budget proposal.

  • Aerial view of a wide river crossed by several small bridges with tall downtown buildings on one side.
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    simonkr via Getty Images
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    Smart meters have saved Austin, Texas, more than a billion of gallons of water, utility says

    The meters, which detect leaks and provide daily water-use reports, are helping to build “a more sustainable water future for generations to come,” the city’s water chief says.

  • Two futuristic electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft fly over farmland.
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    Courtesy of Joby Aviation
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    Tracker

    Air taxis and urban air mobility: The latest developments

    Hyundai air mobility subsidiary Supernal and Korea Aerospace Industries announce plans to jointly develop air taxis.

    Updated May 14, 2026
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    Permission granted by OZ Architecture
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    Opinion

    Fire stations are more than facilities. They’re 50-year operational bets.

    Outdated station design is driving up costs, slowing response and increasing long-term liability for cities. Local leaders need to rethink design frameworks to improve performance outcomes.

  • Many people seated in a large room with a podium and large TV screen.
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    Permission granted by Heather Minor
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    How AI is helping municipal clerks speed up public records reporting

    In Long View, North Carolina, AI-powered “clerkware” has reduced transcription time from hours to minutes, reduced errors and improved public access to meeting minutes, the town clerk says.

  • Rusted wheel on rusted pipe with water surrounding it.
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    Getty Images
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    Aging infrastructure, climate risks shake water sector confidence: report

    Century-old systems, extreme weather, cyberthreats and regulatory inconsistencies threaten future water supply and resilience, the American Water Works Association found.

    Updated May 14, 2026
  • A 2-car tram under an electric wire on a street with buildings behind it.
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    Alexander Farnsworth via Getty Images
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    Maryland enacts oversight boards for transit and commuter services

    The state’s six-year, $22.1 billion transportation plan includes completion of a light rail line connecting two counties bordering Washington, D.C.

  • A skyshot of Boston across a dusky view with a river through the left side of the photo.
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    Getty Images
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    3 cities making strides in housing affordability

    Ivory Innovations recognized a housing finance program in Boston and housing policies in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and New Rochelle, New York, for their ingenuity.

  • Two men wearing safety vests and another man inspect an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft with a large building and a passenger aircraft in the distance.
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    Archer, Joby expect to begin commercial air taxi flights in US cities this year

    “The goal is to have half a million people in the biggest cities in the country start to see these aircraft as part of your everyday commute,” Archer Aviation’s CEO said.

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    Noam Galai via Getty Images
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    These 12 cities are leading on environmental health, African American Mayors Association says

    AAMA and the Community Data Health Initiative are highlighting municipalities using data, partnerships and targeted infrastructure strategies to address heat, pollution and lead risks.

    Updated May 15, 2026
  • HUD BNPL buy now pay later lending mortgages housing consumer credit
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    Kent Nishimura via Getty Images
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    HUD trims environmental reviews for multifamily projects

    Streamlined standards could help ease affordability pressures nationwide, federal officials and housing industry leaders say.

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    Getty Images
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    Illinois cities push back on state proposal to bypass local zoning

    After Gov. JB Pritzker proposed sweeping statewide housing measures, municipal groups say they’re expanding housing options on their own terms.

  • A person whispers into the ear of another person wearing a suit and speaking into several microphones, surrounded by many people.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    DOJ targets ‘sanctuary’ rules in Albuquerque, New Mexico

    Albuquerque, New Mexico, joins a growing list of cities facing federal lawsuits over immigration enforcement policies. “We are ready to defend our community,” the city’s mayor said.

  • A white vehicle outfitted with many sensors stopped at a curb in with people and buildings in the background.
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Tracker

    Robotaxis: The latest developments

    Uber expects to have robotaxis in 15 U.S. cities by year’s end, relying on partnerships with multiple companies.

    Updated May 11, 2026
  • A person with white hair wearing black shirt and pants and a black mask talks to a person with blonde hair.
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    Octavio Jones via Getty Images
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    FEMA Review Council pushes disaster responsibility to cities, states

    The council’s final report recommends streamlining aid programs, accelerating funding delivery and giving local governments greater operational and financial obligation for emergency management.

  • A blurred photo of a teenage student in glasses learning computer science while using a computer in a classroom.
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    Getty Images
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    Public-sector AI translation has saved taxpayers more than $30 million, Wordly says

    In San José, California, translation costs have dropped by nearly 80% and resident participation at public meetings has increased since the city began using the service, a city clerk said.

  • View of an alley in Providence, Rhode Island, with dumpsters
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    Cole Rosengren/Smart Cities Dive
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    Providence, Rhode Island, updates recycling, organics with $3.6M in grants

    Free commercial recycling service, residential recycling carts and organics infrastructure are among the changes the city has made with the help of EPA and USDA funding.