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Boston eyes water-based thermal network to ease grid strain

The BosTEN initiative explores whether a closed-loop system using thermal energy from the city’s waterways can deliver scalable heating and cooling — and what regulatory hurdles could stop it.

These 2 cities enacted upzoning policies to boost housing development. It’s working, study says.

New York and Philadelphia generated thousands of housing units and permits in upzoned areas since enacting reforms, but such efforts are “insufficient” on their own, an Urban Institute study found.

Transit and rail funding cuts in Trump budget ‘a dramatic step backward,’ advocates say

The fiscal year 2027 budget proposal slashes billions from transportation programs and eliminates funding for high-speed rail.

How much power do cities have over data centers?

A Wisconsin referendum highlights the limits of local authority and the growing need for cities to negotiate community benefits and cost protections, experts say.

Kentucky cuts ‘red tape’ on affordable housing from faith-based organizations

The bill allowing religious developers to bypass some permitting rules received pushback from an environmental group.

NYC launches concierge-style service, enhanced web tools to aid Local Law 97 compliance

New resources to help building operators plan retrofits, including resilience planning and expanded workforce development, will cut through red tape, city officials say.

Uber eyes $10B robotaxi investment: Financial Times

The ride-hailing company may begin a shift from driver-owned vehicles to company-owned robotaxi fleets, according to the newspaper.

Trump targets ‘bureaucrat tax’ to build more homes

Cutting restrictive zoning and land-use regulations could help spur 13.2 million new homes, according to a White House analysis.

As the federal government cuts funding, nonprofits are turning to cities

With one-third of nonprofits facing funding disruptions, local governments are emerging as an option to replace lost federal dollars. 

Local government staffing shortages threaten housing development, experts say

Nearly 38% of local government employees are expected to retire within the next five years, one study found.

Why waste diversion pilots struggle to scale

The problem is rarely technology. It’s the upstream behavior inside homes and buildings.

Mamdani commits to containerizing New York’s residential waste by 2032

New leaders in City Hall are beginning to negotiate the sanitation budget, and they want containerization to be part of the picture. But challenges still lie ahead.

$657M for ferries available from 3 FTA grant programs

Separately, the U.S. Department of Transportation awarded $517 million in grants for bridges in rural areas.

Cool Cities Lab heat-mapping tool helps cities target relief where it’s needed most

From Atlanta’s cool roof ordinance to Boston’s pilot programs, cities are using block-level data to identify heat risks and deploy targeted solutions.

This city is not just training its staff on AI, it’s educating the public

San José, California, is partnering with OpenAI, Google and Anthropic to make AI tools and education available to residents through the public library.

Most mayors say market-rate housing development can boost housing affordability

Up to 80% of U.S. mayors say their city needs to develop more multifamily housing, a Boston University survey found. Support for zoning and permitting reform was more muted, however.

It’s the most dangerous part of a transit bus trip. These experts have ideas to make it safer.

A report from the Center for Pedestrian and Bicyclist Safety recommends ways to reduce pedestrian crashes at or near bus stops.

EPA proposes weakening power plant coal ash protections

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin framed the proposal as “commonsense changes,” but environmental advocates say it threatens drinking water.

How AI is rewiring utility billing in Panama City, Florida

The city replaced a disconnected legacy system with an AI-enabled platform, accelerating payment posting, improving data access and trimming paper costs by 25%, it says.

How cities can prepare to overcome FIFA World Cup transportation hurdles

Three transit experts offer recommendations for public transit, traffic congestion and coordinating with law enforcement officials.

3 city AI policies to watch

Local governments are increasingly interested in using artificial intelligence to boost efficiency. These cities have established policies.

Affordable housing standard evolves from sustainability to resilience

Updated Enterprise Green Communities Criteria focus on extreme heat, wildfire, flooding and power outages, treating climate risk as a core housing responsibility.

Updated April 10, 2026

Court narrows New Jersey’s case against RealPage in rent-setting suit

A federal judge partially dismissed claims against the rental software provider and several major landlords in a suit that alleges collusion to raise rent prices.

The EPA wants to test for microplastics in drinking water. Here’s what that means for cities.

Microplastics pose risks that science and monitoring tools aren’t equipped to fully capture, which could produce “uninformative and potentially misleading” results, an expert says. 

Single-staircase reform proposed in California

Reducing the number of staircases smaller multifamily buildings require could unlock more housing, advocates say, but a state fire marshal report urges caution.