Cities faced rising unpredictability in 2025, from a raging housing affordability crisis and jeopardized federal funding to AI’s role in reshaping city operations.
At the National League of Cities City Summit in Salt Lake City, thousands of city leaders from across the country came together to address some of the most pertinent challenges local governments face and swap ideas about how to solve them.
The summit took place Nov. 20-22, one week after the federal government reopened following an historic 43-day shutdown. And yet, public servants were optimistic.
“This work is not always easy,” Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall told a crowd of municipal leaders at the event’s kickoff. “But it’s always worth it.”
Below is a roundup of Smart Cities Dive’s coverage of City Summit 2025, which paints a picture of how cities have been tackling issues head-on and what they can expect in 2026.
