Senate advances landmark affordable housing legislation

“This is a historic and long-overdue step forward,” U.S. Conference of Mayors Housing Task Force Chair Andrew Ginther said.

Updated Oct. 14, 2025

Interactive map tracks housing shortages across Florida

The Sunshine State needs more than 120,000 housing units. The tracker’s developers say its data could help local leaders make informed decisions.

Public transportation ‘experiencing unprecedented momentum’: APTA CEO Paul Skoutelas

Federal Transit Administrator Marcus Molinaro spoke to 3,200 transit leaders at the American Public Transportation Association’s 2025 TRANSform conference in Boston.

Lawsuit challenges EPA rollback of solar program serving low-income communities

Community and labor groups argue the EPA’s termination of the $7 billion Solar for All program strips local governments of critical clean energy funding.

Appeals court allows Trump to federalize but not deploy National Guard in Portland as troops move into Chicago

Federal courts will hear arguments today in two cases about whether the Trump administration can override governors and send National Guard troops into the two U.S. cities.

Updated Oct. 9, 2025

Transit measures are on the November ballot in these local elections

Voters in four states are being asked to approve taxes to support roads and public transit and form a new transportation authority.

This small Texas town has a housing affordability problem. Can it print its way out?

A company that builds homes using 3D printing technology is building a nine-home community in Marfa, Texas, and an 80-home development in Houston. It says the technology could address the “affordability crisis across Texas and the U.S.”

Zoning reforms, tax incentives help drive NYC’s office-to-housing boom

Office conversions have nearly tripled as the city takes action to address a housing shortage and historically high office vacancy rates.

How the government shutdown is (and isn’t) impacting housing funds for cities

Previously approved federal housing funding streams remain available, but staff reductions could threaten core functions.

5 things keeping emergency managers up at night

Emergency managers are stretched thin as climate disasters and cyberthreats grow. Chronic underfunding and mission creep have left the nation’s front line unprepared, a Deloitte-NEMA study says.

Roadway safety can benefit from vehicles that talk to each other

Connected vehicles can help avoid accidents and alert authorities to dangerous situations, says an AT&T executive.

Newsom orders statewide coordination on climate disaster risk

California agencies will jointly develop tools to help local governments and utilities withstand economic losses and insurance disruptions caused by worsening wildfires and other disasters.

Florida leaders used state DOGE effort to call out ‘wasteful spending.’ Communities are pushing back.

Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state CFO primarily criticized funding used for equity and LGBT-related initiatives as wasteful.

Trump blocks Chicago funding as Illinois moves forward with $50.6B infrastructure plan

The White House froze $2.1 billion in funding for a transit rail line and a viaduct project as federal and local officials battle over diversity and inclusion.

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