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    Courtesy of Courtney Steger

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    Nominate someone today for the 2026 Smart Cities Dive Public Service Awards

    Submit your nominations by March 31 to recognize outstanding local leaders who are making an impact in their communities.

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    Courtesy of Joby Aviation
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    Where 5 air taxi pilot projects will begin this year

    The Federal Aviation Administration’s program to bring advanced air mobility to the skies will also address cargo drones and emergency medical response across 26 states.

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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    FEMA must restore $4.5B in resilience grants within weeks, judge rules

    A court order requires the agency to outline how it will reverse its termination of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program and resume grant announcements.

    Updated March 11, 2026
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    Federal funding at risk as House advances anti-sanctuary bill

    The Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act would redirect law-enforcement funding to cities and states that cooperate with federal immigration enforcement and would allow crime victims to sue local governments.

  • James Earp
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    James Earp

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    Top public service awards in 2026

    Officials and public servants who drive impact in their communities can get recognized for their service related to civic innovation, climate action, the arts and more. 

    Updated March 11, 2026
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    How Durham, North Carolina, kick-started affordable housing development

    A $95 million bond agreement in 2019 has led to a swell of affordable housing units in the city. More local governments are following suit.

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    Retrieved from Tampa Bay Rays on March 09, 2026
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    Tampa Bay Rays unveil plans for $2.3B ballpark, mixed-use development

    The Major League Baseball franchise has long sought a new home. Last week it published video renderings that depict a 31,000-seat venue anchoring a “walkable, retail-rich district."

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    Retrieved from Office of Governor Healey.
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    FIFA World Cup US host cities to get $100M for public transportation

    The Federal Transit Administration will offer each host city $8 million to $10 million to enhance public transportation during this summer’s events.

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    Permission granted by Nuveen
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    Nearly 40,000 ‘shovel-ready’ affordable homes in California are stuck in financial limbo, report finds

    Billions in additional state funding are needed to unlock construction for 461 approved developments, according to a new analysis by Enterprise Community Partners.

  • A crowd of rescue workers dressed in red vests and red helmets on the ground and workers dressed in yellow coats and red helmets in a blue boat on a river.
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    Jim Vondruska via Getty Images
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    Better weather forecasts, disaster reviews the goal of new federal bills

    As emergency managers warn NOAA and National Weather Service cuts threaten public safety, the proposals would further investigate major weather disasters and invest in forecasting technology.

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    Getty Images
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    2 major cities update homelessness plans to focus on permanent housing

    Both Phoenix and Oakland, California, saw increases in unsheltered homelessness in recent years.

  • View looking up toward the right-side front of a large bus, with two small cameras mounted above the front door.
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    Permission granted by Coach USA
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    360-degree cameras eliminate blind spots for intercity bus drivers

    Coach USA employed AI cameras to give their drivers a better view of their surroundings, cutting preventable accidents by 92%.

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    Heather Diehl via Getty Images
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    DHS funding impasse freezes security grants, stalls local law enforcement

    The shutdown “has essentially paralyzed local operations by delaying funding and grant rollouts and by furloughing critical personnel,” a sheriffs coalition said in a letter to Congress.

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    Getty Images
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    NYC public housing has a vacancy problem, an investigation found. Squatters are filling the gaps.

    The number of vacant New York City Housing Authority apartments increased nearly 140% from 2022 to 2025, a New York City Department of Investigation report found. The vacancies are posing safety risks.

  • Steam rises from factory pipes in a city and the sky behind the pipes is bright pink and orange.
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    Getty Images
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    EPA delays greenhouse gas reporting as it moves to shut down program

    Covered entities for the Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program will not be required to submit 2025 emissions data until October. By then, the agency may have already repealed the requirement.

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    Courtesy of Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority
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    Atlanta transit agency to launch on-demand service Saturday

    Shared rides on transit vans within 12 metro Atlanta areas will provide point-to-point service at the same $2.50 bus and rail fare.

  • A person looking at his smartphone on a station platform as an orange and silver train approaches, with tall buildings in the background.
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Surface Transportation Legislation

    APTA calls for $268B investment in public transit and passenger rail over 5 years

    The American Public Transportation Association urges Congress to support transit investment in the upcoming surface transportation legislation.

  • Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, downtown skyline on the Oklahoma River at dawn.
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    Getty Images
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    4 ways Oklahoma can ease its affordable housing crisis

    An Urban Institute study detailed challenges in Oklahoma’s housing market but also noted solutions for the state.

  • geothermal, 1515 Surf, LCOR, Ecosave
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    Courtesy of Ecosave
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    Brooklyn project shows feasibility of using geothermal in dense urban areas

    Although installation costs are higher than for conventional systems, geothermal is cheaper over the long term, project consultants say.

  • 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

    Archer Aviation expects to begin flying passengers this year as part of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s first air taxi pilot projects.

    Updated March 3, 2026
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    Getty Images
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    Got a spare room in Portland, Oregon? The city might give you $1K to rent it out.

    The home-sharing program is one of several city efforts to activate "underutilized" housing, Mayor Keith Wilson said.

  • People stand near a stone building with two doors with the words Women and Men above them surrounded by spring foliage.
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    Getty Images
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    After years of delays, NYC makes $4M bet on modular public toilets

    New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the plan to deliver 20 to 30 new portable, self-cleaning units this year will ensure people can “travel through our city with a little less anxiety.”

  • A phone showing a severe weather alert in front of a steering wheel with traffic out the front window.
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    Getty Images
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    Can AI close the language gap in disaster warnings? A federal watchdog raises concerns.

    The National Weather Service lacks clear goals and a funding strategy as it attempts to scale AI-powered multilingual alerts, a Government Accountability Office report warns.

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    Getty Images
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    Frederick County, Maryland, plots a ‘more active’ approach to housing shortages

    The county needs to build nearly 32,000 housing units in the next decade to meet demand, a new report found.

  • 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

    The public can hail a Waymo in four more cities across Texas and Florida while the company starts testing in Chicago and Charlotte, North Carolina.

    Updated March 2, 2026