Guiding a small but growing city: Exemplary Public Servant John Noblitt

The Sanger, Texas, city manager obtained more reliable electricity, worked toward a larger wastewater treatment plant and helped attract the city’s first supermarket.

Court upholds New Jersey affordable housing mandate, dismisses suit from cities

The 27 cities vow to continue their legal challenges to the state law.

How Boston transit leaders fixed a failing transit system

The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority recovered from safety lapses that prompted the Federal Transit Administration to oversee the agency’s transit rail system in 2022.

From highway to haven: Lessons from D.C.’s 11th Street Bridge Park

Community buy-in wasn’t just a box to check, says the park's founding director. Ongoing dialogue with residents helped build trust, ease displacement concerns and foster community ownership.

Communities brace for fallout as DOE terminates nearly $7.6B in clean energy project funding

Cuts to 223 projects across 16 states will mean job losses, higher energy costs and weaker grid reliability, experts and state agencies warn.

US high-speed rail projects: The latest news

Brightline West applied for a $6 billion federal loan to cover increasing construction costs for its high-speed rail line between Las Vegas and Southern California. Keep up on all the latest news in this tracker.

Updated Oct. 3, 2025

Municipalities join forces to conserve more than 2,000 acres of diverse Arizona landscape

The land is on its way to becoming a shared regional park with connected hiking and biking trails.

Trump administration freezes $18B for NY-NJ region transportation projects

The Transportation Department said a review of the projects would take more time because of the government shutdown.

DOE cancels $7.6B in clean energy funding, hitting projects in 16 states

DOE officials say the cancellations target projects that were rushed through with weak documentation, while critics argue the move is political and will drive up costs for cities and consumers.

California adopted AI safety legislation. Here are 5 things it does.

New state legislation regulating artificial intelligence requires transparency and safety incident reporting and establishes whistleblower protections.

DOJ targets Minneapolis and St. Paul in latest ‘sanctuary’ city lawsuit

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey vows to defend immigrant communities as the Trump administration continues nationwide campaign targeting cities that restrict enforcement of federal immigration law.

Updated Oct. 1, 2025

Modern multifamily buildings see ‘far better fire safety outcomes’ than other housing types, Pew report finds

Fire deaths in modern multifamily homes occur at one-fourth the rate of those in modern single-family homes, the report found.

Louisiana governor requests 1,000 National Guard troops to address urban crime

Gov. Jeff Landry wants to deploy Guard units in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Shreveport. Baton Rouge City Council members warn it could inflame tensions and deepen community mistrust.

Updated Oct. 1, 2025

Top smart city conferences in 2026

Technology, housing, climate action, transportation, public safety and more take center stage at events for local government leaders in 2026.

5 steps to disaster-proof your city as FEMA pulls back

FEMA is stretched thin, a GAO report warns. Its author offers advice for local leaders to respond strategically and build resilience now.

Illinois officials condemn federal troop request for Chicago

Gov. JB Pritzker says DHS has requested 100 military personnel be sent to Chicago and calls the action an “unconstitutional occupation.”

NYC launches effort to rescue at-risk affordable co-ops

The two-year pilot program offers loans and technical support to help co-ops pay off debts, settle government arrears and renovate vacant units.

HUD cuts multifamily mortgage insurance premiums

The agency also eliminated three mortgage insurance premium categories for green and affordable housing that it said were not aligned with Trump’s policy agenda.

Portland and Oregon sue Trump administration over National Guard deployment order

The lawsuit contends the National Guard mission breaches limits of federal authority in local law enforcement, following a court ruling against similar troop deployments in Los Angeles.

Free and low-fare transit programs fail to reach many in need: report

More outreach programs and automatic enrollment could make these programs accessible to more people, says a report from the Regional Plan Association, a New York nonprofit.

Massachusetts opened the door for ADUs this year. It has approved 550 so far.

Under the Affordable Homes Act, which legalized accessory dwelling units in the state, up to 10,000 could be built over the next five years, a state agency estimates.

Nevada strikes settlement with RealPage over rent-setting software

The deal places new limits on how rental data can be used and funds rent relief. Similar lawsuits from state and local governments are still pending.

An Indiana councilman saw politics turning toxic. Now he’s launching a national civility movement.

Leaders from 16 states will convene in Carmel, Indiana, this weekend to share strategies for fostering respect, finding common ground and encouraging constructive debate in service of community.

Santa Clara County records surge in first-time homelessness

The latest data, gathered via a new “survey-first” approach, showed an 8.2% increase in people experiencing homelessness in the California county.

Lyft and Waymo to bring robotaxi service to Nashville

The announcement comes shortly after the ride-hailing service rolled out its first robotaxi pilot in Atlanta.