The Latest

  • View of a truck tipping waste on the floor of an industrial incineration facility
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    Cole Rosengren/Smart Cities Dive
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    Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Miami metros debate incinerator plans

    Advocates continue to pressure officials to close or cut off waste shipments to incinerators in Minneapolis and the Philadelphia area. But progress continues on an incinerator in Miami-Dade County, Florida.

  • A large round machine with cutting wheels on its green face inside an industrial building.
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    Courtesy of Gateway Program
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    Hudson Tunnel construction may stop as Trump withholds funding

    Nearly 1,000 workers will lose their jobs on Feb. 6 if the $16 billion project in New York and New Jersey is put on hold, the project authority said.

  • President Donald Trump speaks at a podium with a seal in front of U.S. and other flags.
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    Q&A

    How Trump could make good on his threats to cut ‘sanctuary’ city funding

    The administration could quietly squeeze cities through discretionary grants, a legal expert says. Here’s how cities should prepare for Trump’s Feb. 1 deadline.

  • Shell EV charging
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    Trump administration must release EV charger funds, court rules

    The court order clears the way for states to implement infrastructure plans they’ve worked for years to develop, the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy said.

  • A person wearing winter coat and gloves holds a sign that says "ICE OUT OF MPLS!"
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Federal immigration agents to begin leaving Minnesota, Frey says

    A judge asked for supplemental briefings in Minnesota’s bid to halt Operation Metro Surge as the Minnesota secretary of state refused the U.S. attorney general’s request for access to voter registration data.

  • Aerial view of congested multilane highway between hills and homes.
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    S. Greg Panosian via Getty Images
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    LA to build computer-controlled subway line along Sepulveda corridor

    The $24 billion project could cut travel time in half and improve air quality and traffic safety, Los Angeles County’s transit agency says.

  • The Department of Housing and Urban Development
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    Getty Images
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    HUD orders citizenship verification for 200,000 tenants

    Public housing agencies must check and report on the eligibility of tenants flagged in the new EIV-SAVE Tenant Match Report.

  • A person wearing a helmet speaks into a bullhorn to a large crowd holding signs.
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    Stephen Maturen via Getty Images
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    After Pretti shooting, Minneapolis warns immigration operation is straining public safety resources

    The Minnesota National Guard is deployed as a judge blocks DHS from altering evidence in the shooting. “This is taking an enormous toll,” the Minneapolis police chief said.

  • 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

    U.K.-based Vertical Aerospace announced plans for an air taxi network serving the New York City area in 2028.

    Updated Jan. 26, 2026
  • Stone building that says "City Hall."
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    Getty Images
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    Expectations, reality can differ for new mayors’ first 100 days, study finds

    Administrative realities dominated 15 mayors’ first 100 days in office, according to a Bloomberg Center for Cities report.

  • The Colorado Capitol building.
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    Getty Images
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    Colorado bills take ‘big swing’ at state’s housing shortage

    As the state pushes to ramp up development, a lawsuit from several municipalities accuses it of overstepping its authority.

  • Two people look across a river at smoke stacks with white steam coming out of them.
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    Jeff Swensen via Getty Images
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    Lawsuits target EPA rollback of coal plant water pollution standards

    The plants need flexibility to meet rising electricity demand, the EPA says. Environmental groups argue that undermines Clean Water Act protections for rivers and drinking water sources.

  • 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

    Tesla began robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, without safety monitors on board, “starting with a few unsupervised vehicles,” a Tesla executive said.

    Updated Jan. 23, 2026
  • A fence in the reads"What's Happening Here: The Second Avenue Subway" with three construction workers standing on dirt next to a small brick building.
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    Congress advances transportation funding bill

    The legislation largely maintains funding for public transportation and passenger rail but slashes a program to add intercity passenger trains.

  • A police car parked on a suburban street.
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    Getty Images
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    Supreme Court broadens police authority for warrantless home entry

    The Case v. Montana decision replaces the Fourth Amendment’s “probable cause” requirement with “objective reasonableness” when officers believe someone is in danger.

  • An aerial view of a large government building at sunset
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    Getty Images
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    New Jersey towns hit another wall in fight against state’s affordable housing mandate

    A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit a coalition of 27 localities filed over New Jersey’s affordable housing law. The towns vow to keep fighting.

  • A man speaks and gestures behind a podium in front of an American flag.
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    Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Trump issues order to curb single-family home sales to large investors

    The executive order directs the attorney general to review housing acquisitions by large institutional investors for “anti-competitive practices.”

  • A person wearing a green uniform and the back of a person in a green uniform that says "POLICE" in a waiting room with two people sitting in chairs.
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    Stephen Maturen via Getty Images
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    Minnesota police chiefs call out federal immigration agents while mayors face DOJ subpoenas

    The Department of Justice demanded records from the governor, mayors and prosecutors, while law enforcement leaders warned that immigration enforcement tactics are eroding public trust in policing.

    Updated Jan. 21, 2026
  • Aerial view of a big city with tal buildings surrounded by multilane highways.
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    Miles Cui via Getty Images
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    Remote work, extreme weather reshaping urban traffic patterns, report finds

    Los Angeles, Honolulu, San Francisco and New York City are the nation’s most congested cities in TomTom’s 2025 traffic index.

  • Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaks into a microphone at a hearing.
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    Jim Vondruska via Getty Images
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    HUD launches fair housing investigation into Minneapolis

    The city said the probe “appears to be about politics, not affordable housing.”

  • 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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    Limits on city, state authority over AVs proposed in new federal bill

    “Significant progress” has been made on the draft, its sponsor said, but safety advocates expressed concern at a recent hearing.

  • Aerial view from skyline with skyscrapers in Brooklyn downtown New York on the Hudson river
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    Getty Images
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    Cities explore tossing rental ‘junk fees’ to ease affordability crisis

    Colorado has banned “hidden” fees. New York City and San Diego may follow suit.

  • A person wearing a suit and tie with a placard on desk that says "Mr. Garcia" in front of a sign with picture of President Donald Trump that says "Threatened Child Care Funding for 66,000 NY Children. In 2025 Pardoned 25 Fraudsters and Robbed Victims"
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    Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images
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    As $10B in federal child care funds hangs in the balance, cities and counties brace for budget shock

    With a court-ordered pause on a federal funding freeze set to expire this week, local governments in five states face the prospect of service disruptions, budget gaps and economic impacts if federal dollars do not resume.

  • City skyline with high rises.
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    Getty Images
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    With zoning and regulatory changes, cities aim to spur housing growth

    The goals include increased housing density and quicker and cheaper construction. Read how Dallas’ approach stacks up against what experts see coming this year.

  • A blue and yellow bus lettered "100% Electric" and "DASH" on a street with trees.
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    Courtesy of Alexandria Transit Company
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    Alexandria, Virginia, expands transit bus electrification

    The city’s bus system is adding in-route charging for its electric buses and building a new facility with up to 24 overhead chargers as the fleet grows.