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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 -
AdobeStock/1919576325 Jason Wells
Sponsored by PayItDigital 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
TrackerRobotaxis: 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 -
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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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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
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.
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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.
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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.
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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
Surface Transportation Legislation5 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.
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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.
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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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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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US traffic deaths in 2025 lowest since 2019
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates have shown continued declines in roadway fatalities since 2022.
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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 -
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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.
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Opinion3 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.
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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.
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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.
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Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
OpinionMega-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.
