Judge keeps Illinois troop deployment on hold pending Supreme Court action

Meanwhile, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is creating an accountability commission to monitor federal immigration agents' conduct.

Updated Oct. 23, 2025

Air taxis and urban air mobility: The latest developments

Los Angeles selected Archer Aviation as the exclusive air taxi partner for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and as an official host committee partner for the 2027 Super Bowl.

Updated Oct. 23, 2025

4 strategies to help close the opportunity gap

Millions of full-time workers can’t afford the basics. Reversing that trend will take local action, targeted investment and new models of collaboration.

Police chiefs say the nation’s rhetoric has become dangerous. They’re calling for a reset before more violence erupts.

Pressing law enforcement to “be the adults in the room,” police chiefs at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference outlined steps cities can take to restore civility and safety.

Baltimore is betting big on vacant and at-risk home revitalization

A $6.2 billion public-private revitalization plan aims to address nearly 40,000 properties in the city.

San Francisco speeding declines at locations with automated cameras

Six months into the city’s speed camera program, drivers are operating below the speed limit at 15 measured sites.

Oregon’s producer-funded recycling program offers cities a road map for cleaner waste streams

With plans for more than 140 dropoff depots by 2027, the state’s new program is designed to make recycling more efficient and manage hard-to-recycle materials without new taxpayer costs.

Chicago Housing Authority files lawsuit over HUD’s anti-DEI funding stipulations

The country’s third-largest public housing authority says at least 13% of its budget is at stake.

Can AI detect road hazards?

San José, California, is testing AI and cameras to identify and quickly alert the city to potholes and other dangerous street issues.

Steep insurance cost increases loom for commuter rail

With liability insurance costs expected to rise nearly 24% next year, a bipartisan bill would give Amtrak, Brightline and commuter rail operators more time to obtain it.

As stadium boom resumes, ‘private funding’ often comes with public strings

Cities eager to tout privately financed sports stadiums are still spending big through tax breaks, land deals and public financing that shift costs back to taxpayers.

New York City is having an office-to-housing conversion boom. Could Chicago be next?

Chicago has a higher downtown office vacancy rate than the Big Apple. Housing advocates say those buildings could help address the affordable housing shortage.

Detroit to build new multimodal transportation hub

The proposed intercity bus and Amtrak station next to the restored Michigan Central Station “will grow our regional economy,” said Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

States sue EPA over canceled Solar for All grants

In the third lawsuit filed about the grants this month, 22 states and the District of Columbia contend the agency illegally revoked $7 billion in clean energy funds awarded to local governments.

Florida county turns to AI to trim zoning review process

Swiftbuild says its AI tool trimmed the zoning review process in Hernando County, Florida, from 30 days to two.

Republic, Teamsters end strikes that hit city trash routes nationwide

A final contract in Cumming, Ga., concludes months of labor unrest that disrupted trash collection in multiple cities.

How Southwest DC helped residents and visitors get around the neighborhood

Businesses and the Washington, D.C., government formed a Mobility Innovation District to launch a pilot shuttle service.

Stairway to housing? This California city legalized single-staircase apartments

Culver City, California, joins a growing number of cities rethinking two-staircase building code requirements, a move advocates say could boost affordable housing development.

Great leadership builds more than facilities: Exemplary Public Servant Cory Tobin

The Thomasville, North Carolina, parks and recreation director led development and construction of a state-of-the-art community center that delivers long-term community benefits without raising costs.

Chicago transit agencies propose fare hikes, restate 2026 budgets

Hope now rides with the Illinois General Assembly to provide state funding that could prevent rail and bus service cuts.

Cities must act now to secure remaining IIJA funds: NLC

Local governments should “maximize this moment” to strengthen resilience and climate readiness before the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act expires, a National League of Cities legislative director said.

Judge rebukes DHS for defying order on FEMA grant conditions

A federal judge said the Department of Homeland Security ignored a directive to remove immigration enforcement conditions from FEMA funding agreements in a “ham-handed attempt to bully” states.

Updated Oct. 15, 2025

New York City could face power reliability issues beginning next year, state’s grid operator says

Reliability report findings “should be alarming to residents and serve as another wake up call for the state,” said Gavin Donohue, president of the Independent Power Producers of New York.

Harris County, Texas, sues EPA over canceled Solar for All funds

County officials say the loss of $54 million in clean energy grants jeopardizes staffing, planning and partnerships built around the program, forcing major adjustments to local operations and budgets.

Chicago suburb debuts electric paratransit fleet

Schaumburg, Illinois, joins transit agencies in New York City and San Francisco in providing zero-emission transportation for older adults and people with disabilities.