The Latest

  • People hunched over a stand with dividers at a voting place.
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    Voters approve $11.7B in local ballot measures to fund public transit

    “Transit is winning,” said an American Public Transportation Association executive, citing an 81% win rate among 16 measures in seven states.

    Updated Nov. 6, 2025
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    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
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    How 8 housing-related proposals fared in November’s elections

    Ballot measures in Colorado, Montana, New York and Washington saw mixed results on Nov. 4.

  • A row of brick homes with tall office buildings in the background.
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    Baltimore, eyeing a ‘renaissance,’ passes a slew of housing reforms

    The city is reducing red tape for development by eliminating parking minimums and allowing single staircases in certain buildings.

  • People stand in line to board a green bus seen through a glass partition.
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    Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
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    Boston downtown bus terminal expansion opens

    With a 60% increase in bus docks and better connections with the train station, the South Station bus terminal will enable growth for the bus carriers, its general manager said.

  • People stand at voting booths in a large white room. The word "Cinema" is on the wall above them.
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    Stephen Maturen via Getty Images
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    What to know about federal requests for voter data

    The Justice Department is asking states and counties for access to voter rolls. Local officials should pause before sharing the information, legal experts say.

  • An aerial view of a highway with skyscrapers in the distance.
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    San Jose, California, will clear homeless encampments on state land within the city

    As many as 22 cities have formed agreements with the California Department of Transportation to clear homeless encampments on state rights-of-way.

  • A shot of a building during daylight from an angle, in front of a green lawn.
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    Courtesy of Michigan State University
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    Michigan bets on mass timber to build economy and shrink carbon footprint

    A new state grant program aims to accelerate adoption of renewable building materials across public and private projects.

  • A person wearing an inflatable frog costume holding a sign that says "Frogs Together Strong," surrounded by officers wearing military gear.
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    Mathieu Lewis-Rolland via Getty Images
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    After a trial, Oregon judge again halts National Guard deployment to Portland

    The district court’s injunction forces the Ninth Circuit to consider detailed court findings when reviewing an earlier temporary restraining order. This “changes the appeal’s playing field,” a legal scholar says.

    Updated Nov. 6, 2025
  • A hand reaches out from a car to deposit a letter in a blue mailbox.
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    Neither rain nor snow nor digitization have stopped local governments from accepting payments by mail

    A recent Euna Solutions survey found 83% of local governments still accept payments through the post.

  • A sign that says Howard University at the entrance to a campus.
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    Washington, D.C.’s answer to public sector brain drain: 2024 Crown Communities winner

    Facing a “silver tsunami” of retirements and inequities in hiring, the District of Columbia is using paid internships to bring in young, diverse talent that’s ready to lead.

  • People walking on a station platform as a silver trains lettered "CTA" has its doors open.
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    Brian Kersey via Getty Images
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    Illinois legislature passes transit-friendly bill

    The legislation averts proposed service cuts and fare hikes with $1.5 billion in funding for Chicago’s public transit network.

  • People wearing military uniforms and helmets with a crowd of protesters behind them.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Newsom moves to reclaim control of California National Guard

    State officials filed a district court motion arguing the Trump administration’s continued federalization of state troops has outlived its purpose and diverts resources from firefighting, drug enforcement and food relief.

  • Aerial view from skyline with skyscrapers in Brooklyn downtown New York on the Hudson river
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    4 housing measures on the ballot in New York City

    Voters weigh in tomorrow on measures aimed at fast-tracking affordable housing development.

  • The U.S. Capitol stands in the distance as morning traffic moves along North Capitol Street Northwest on October 01, 2025 in Washington, DC. The government shut down early Wednesday after Congress failed to reach a funding deal.
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    Chip Somodevilla / Staff via Getty Images
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    Commuters lost nearly 8 work days in 2024 to record-high traffic levels, report finds

    Cities need to make monitoring technologies more efficient, improve road emergency response and diversify development patterns to help relieve congestion, the Texas A&M Transportation Institute says.

  • Brick buildings on a tree-lined street.
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    OlegAlbinsky via Getty Images
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    NYC’s co-ops worry they can’t afford to decarbonize. A new road map offers a path from fear to funding.

    Flexible incentives, zoning reform and collaboration could help co-op boards overcome Local Law 97’s financial and regulatory hurdles, the report states.

  • townhouses, Houston, Texas, fourth ward, brick, apartments
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    Keeping people in their homes as evictions surge: 2024 Crown Communities Award winner

    A Harris County, Texas, court is educating tenants about the eviction process and connecting them with legal aid.

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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Column

    5 ways local governments can prepare for the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s effects on social services

    Medicaid and SNAP recipients will face more stringent eligibility requirements and more frequent verification. Communication, technology and partnerships can help governments adjust.  

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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Millions face hunger as SNAP funding ends — and cities race to respond

    Cities are creating emergency nutrition funds, reopening COVID-era aid programs and pleading with federal officials as the government shutdown threatens to cut off food assistance this weekend.

    Updated Oct. 31, 2025
  • 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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    New York City will expand its automated red-light camera program

    Verra Mobility will add 450 more signalized intersections as part of an expanded agreement with the city's transportation department.

  • A person wearing a hat with a face covering and a inflatable duck costume surrounded by smoke.
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    Mathieu Lewis-Rolland via Getty Images
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    Ninth Circuit agrees to rehear Oregon’s challenge to troop deployment in Portland

    The federal court reasserted temporary limits on Trump’s power to send National Guard troops into the city. Meanwhile, a trial testing DHS claims that local law enforcement can’t contain protests is underway.

    Updated Oct. 30, 2025
  • An aerial view of St. Paul, Minnesota depicts buildings and a bridge near a river.
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    St. Paul, Minnesota, fell victim to a cyberattack in July. It’s still recovering.

    The city worked with the FBI and Minnesota National Guard in the wake of an incident that revealed the increasing severity of cyberattacks on cities.

  • A man in a hardhat and orange vest stands amid exposed dirt alongside a large backhoe on a sunny day.
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    Courtesy of California High-Speed Rail Authority
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    Q&A

    California high-speed rail CEO has a plan to get the project back on track

    A construction engineer by trade, Ian Choudri hired a new team, reworked the project plan and says it’s time to “build more and go forward.”

  • Trees with autumn color lining a street.
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    5 actions cities can take to keep climate goals on track

    Local action is filling the void as the Trump administration pulls back from climate commitments. A new report details how cities can deliver emissions cuts — even without federal support.

  • Aerial shot of Charlottesville, Virginia on a cloudy afternoon in early Fall.
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    How Charlottesville, Virginia, is getting its zoning back

    The city is settling a lawsuit that left it without a zoning ordinance since this summer.

  • A person stands with arms crossed as another person looks on.
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    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
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    FEMA delays $11B in reimbursements as states brace for tighter disaster budgets

    The agency’s shifting of COVID-related payments into the next fiscal year highlights mounting fiscal pressure on its Disaster Relief Fund and growing uncertainty for states counting on federal aid, the National Association of Counties says.