California state senator amends controversial housing bill

Senator Scott Wiener eased a number of the measures following widespread pushback from California cities, including San Francisco, the city he represents.

By Katie Pyzyk • April 12, 2018

Nashville councilman unveils alternative transit plan as early voting begins

Councilman Robert Swope's proposal focuses on interconnected AVs and double-decker highways, as opposed to light rail and bus rapid transit.

By Chris Teale • April 11, 2018

Atlanta launches ‘Open Checkbook’ portal for expenditure transparency

The portal, which was announced in April, will offer historical trends and projected expenses "regardless of financial acumen" to allow users to analyze the city's spending.

By Kristin Musulin • Updated Sept. 5, 2018

Dallas leaders mull dockless bike-share regulations

Dockless providers and city council members alike oppose a controversial permit fee structure.

By Katie Pyzyk • April 11, 2018

Two lawsuits accuse Cincinnati council members of violating local, state law in holding private meetings

Two recent lawsuits accuse Cincinnati council members of holding illegal, private meetings related to the employment status of Cincinnati's city manager.

By Jason Axelrod • April 10, 2018

Sidewalk Labs to start testing Toronto ‘smart city’ this summer

Construction could begin as early as 2020, the company's CEO told Reuters, with residents able to move in as early as 2022.

By Chris Teale • April 10, 2018

Arizona State University launches smart cities center

The Center for Smart Cities and Regions will join science and technology research with urban governance.

By Katie Pyzyk • April 10, 2018

Q&A: How a Chief Knowledge Officer is boosting innovation in Kansas City, KS

Alan Howze, who has held the position since August 2016, has helped launch an app for residents to pay taxes and report issues, and has participated in the city's plan to lay more fiber.

By Chris Teale • April 10, 2018

Staying on message: The value of dedicated municipal marketing

Some cities have prioritized in-house marketing and branding opportunities to provide consistent messaging and boost crisis response times.

By Katie Pyzyk • April 10, 2018

San Francisco’s emergency sirens fixed after security bug found

The city's Department of Technology announced an upgrade to its 114 sirens, which alert residents to major incidents including storms, terrorism and earthquakes.

By Chris Teale • April 9, 2018

Government leaders hold the keys to unlock citizen engagement

Citizens should be viewed as active partners in a city's innovation process, which can be achieved through encouraged participation, transparency and educational opportunities. 

By Chris Teale • April 9, 2018

Seattle City Council revamps parking rules

The ordinance loosens and eliminates parking requirements for some developments, which could lower housing costs.

By Katie Pyzyk • April 4, 2018

Q&A: National Science Foundation assistant director on ‘smart communities’ research funding

Jim Kurose said the agency has been "ahead of the curve" on technology's use in urban settings for more than a decade.

By Chris Teale • April 4, 2018

State, city leaders oppose EPA fuel efficiency standards rollback

In a statement, the leaders note that all U.S. residents deserve fuel-efficient, low-emission vehicles to improve health and save money on gas. 

By Katie Pyzyk • April 4, 2018

London’s blueprint for a digitized city, as drafted by its CDO

The top five top insights from our recent conversation with London's new(ish) Chief Digital Officer, Theo Blackwell.

By Kristin Musulin • April 3, 2018

Top 5 takeaways from Smart Cities Connect 2018

Using failure as a learning moment and building partnerships are among the key lessons from the three-day conference in Kansas City, MO.

By Chris Teale • April 2, 2018

ACLU encourages city-owned public internet to protect net neutrality

Municipal internet that abides by net neutrality principles can protect user privacy and improve access to service.

By Katie Pyzyk • April 2, 2018

NYC announces cybersecurity initiative to protect mobile devices

The NYC Secure program will include a free smartphone protection app for all New Yorkers and increased security on the city's public Wi-Fi networks.

By Kristin Musulin • April 2, 2018

Cities look to short-term rental regulations to fix housing crises

Talk of a housing "crisis" has prompted some cities to place limits on home-sharing companies like Airbnb and Homeaway as they look to stave off low supply and high demand.

By Katie Pyzyk • April 2, 2018

Rescuing the rescuers

Department-managed support programs are helping first responders address mental health concerns.

By Jason Axelrod • March 30, 2018

FirstNet debuts dedicated first responder network core

The launch of the evolved packet core, which will operate "like the brain and nervous system of FirstNet," follows the inaugural FirstNet hackathon.

By Kristin Musulin • March 29, 2018

Kansas City CIO: Cities that don’t embrace smart tech risk becoming ‘digital Rust Belt’

Bob Bennett said urban areas risk being left behind if they do not innovate, and that younger generations will "vote with their feet" and leave if that happens.

By Chris Teale • March 28, 2018

Why P3s can be a project delivery method worth the risk

When executed properly, public-private partnerships can be a win-win for those on both sides of the aisle.

By Mary Tyler March • March 27, 2018

Why building a dynamic smart city requires an equally-dynamic network

The network supporting a city's smart technology must adapt intuitively to shift bandwidth accordingly when and where it’s most critical. 

By Daniele Loffreda • March 26, 2018

Mayors call for local action on guns: ‘We owe it to those who have lost their lives’

In a letter, the mayors cite 43 states which have a form of maximum preemption to prevent cities from passing gun regulations on top of state law.

By Kristin Musulin • March 26, 2018