The Latest

  • A Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train approaches the West Oakland station on March 15, 2023 in Oakland, Californi
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    California lends $590M to keep Bay Area transit running

    The loan will prevent service cuts in the near term, but a long-term solution depends on a November 2026 regional ballot measure.

  • Paier College, Bridgeport, Connecticutt
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    3 state-level parking reform efforts to watch

    To encourage housing development, more states are ending parking spot minimums.

  • Finger pointing to computer screen with stick figure and stars and the word "SKILLS"
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    Opinion

    How a skills-first hiring strategy transforms organizational performance for local governments

    The public sector can set a standard showing that capability matters more than pedigree and economic opportunity should be based on what a person can do, not just whether they have a college degree.

  • A big box that says "Fuel Cell Energy DFC 300"
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    David McNew via Getty Images
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    States sue Energy Department for terminating $8B in clean energy funding

    The Trump administration unlawfully bypassed Congress and made politically motivated cuts to programs created through the IRA and IIJA, the lawsuit claims.

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    Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Pritzker proposes statewide zoning standards to boost housing in Illinois

    Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker targeted local housing regulations in his State of the State this week, unveiling a path for more “missing middle” development.

  • Two construction worker hgh up on a pedestrian bridge.
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    Permission granted by City of Sandy Springs
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    Pedestrian, biking infrastructure improvements on tap for Atlanta suburb

    Sandy Springs, Georgia, residents want trails and green space, they told the city. With funds from a local sales tax, two projects are underway.

  • The Department of Housing and Urban Development
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    HUD rule would bar families with mixed immigration status from federally funded housing

    The proposed policy changes would result in the eviction of tens of thousands of tenants from agency-supported housing, nonprofit groups say.

  • A plant with white smoke blowing out of tall smokestacks surrounded by neighborhoods.
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    Jon Cherry via Getty Images
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    Environmental groups are suing the EPA for gutting a key climate rule. Cities and states vow to do the same.

    California will challenge EPA’s “endangerment finding” repeal in court. The U.S. Conference of Mayors pledges to "fight for policy that addresses climate change with the seriousness that it requires."

  • Heat pumps sit on the side of a brick building.
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    Oregon mandates heat pumps in new housing

    The update to the state’s residential energy code could save residents of housing built after the change an average of $125 a month in energy costs, an analysis found.

  • 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

    North Carolina is planning a statewide eVTOL network to link cities and rural areas, improving healthcare and disaster relief.

    Updated Feb. 19, 2026
  • A view of the front of the U.S. Capitol building framed by green-leaf trees against a clear blue sky.
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Surface Transportation Legislation

    Local leaders want more say in federal transportation funding

    Local officials will meet with congressional leaders in the coming weeks to discuss bipartisan legislation that aims to deliver funds to communities more efficiently.

  • A person with long blonde hair speaks into a microphone.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    A federal judge ordered FEMA to restore BRIC funding in December. States say they’re still waiting.

    Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia filed a motion Tuesday contending the agency has failed to comply with the ruling, leaving mitigation grants in limbo. “It is a direct attack on the rule of law itself,” Arizona’s AG said.

  • legal team use of AI
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    AI is ‘the wild west right now.’ These experts explain how cities can use it ethically.

    Intention, transparency and human accountability are key metrics for ethical artificial intelligence deployment, according to experts on a recent CivicLabs panel.

  • An office worker is seen from behind as he sits at his desk.
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    Public sector interest in AI is high, but readiness is not, new research finds

    Less than 2% of public sector leaders are deploying AI across departments as security concerns and lack of clear state and federal guidance hinder adoption, the survey found.

  • A person with a garden hose in front of a house in flames.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    California DOJ probes civil rights violations in Eaton Fire response

    Investigators will examine whether evacuation delays in West Altadena, a historically Black community, reflect discrimination tied to race, age or disability.

  • A poster that reads "Under Trump, Costs are Rising" is displayed as House Ways and Means Tax Subcommittee as lawmakers speak during a news conference.
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    Andrew Harnik via Getty Images
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    Data centers pursue on-site power as state and local leaders worry about their impact on utility bills: report

    State elections last year demonstrated “voter angst around inflation in utility bills,” according to the report's author. “We’d expect more of the same this year.”

  • 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.

    Updated Feb. 23, 2026
  • 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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    Getty Images
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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
  • Session of Government. Conference room or seminar meeting room in business event. Academic classroom training course in lecture hall. blurred businessmen talking. modern bright office indoor
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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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    Getty Images
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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