Governance
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Barnes, Elvert. (2019). "IMG_6415" [Photograph]. Retrieved from Flickr.
Philadelphia joins cities tackling bike lane parking violations
Following a decrease in the enforcement of bike lane parking regulations during the pandemic, the Philadelphia Parking Authority is rolling out an initiative dedicated to cracking down on rule-breakers.
By Cailin Crowe • May 25, 2022 -
Urban parks vie for Interior Department construction, renovation funds
About $61 million in federal grant funding could provide an economic life raft for 27 urban parks in 26 underserved communities.
By Austyn Gaffney • May 25, 2022 -
Explore the Trendlineâž”
Drew Angerer via Getty ImagesTrendlineVehicle Electrification
Cities and states are trying to harness the growing electric vehicle market to meet decarbonization goals while ensuring the rollout of these vehicles is being done equitably. Their efforts are aided by an influx of federal support.
By Smart Cities Dive staff -
Opinion
Blame local zoning, not Wall Street, for this housing crisis
Local zoning laws and NIMBYism are preventing the growth of affordable housing and greater housing density and contributing to labor shortages in urban areas.
By Atticus LeBlanc • May 24, 2022 -
Infrastructure coordinators help cities pursue funding, evaluate projects
In the spirit of cities wanting to “dig once” when it comes to infrastructure improvements, local governments are tapping coordinators to oversee projects as they access millions in federal funds.
By Karen Kroll • May 23, 2022 -
Mobility leaders dream of a less car-centric future
At the National Shared Mobility Summit, leaders envisioned a more accessible and racially equitable shared mobility landscape, highlighting the role of compensated community engagement to help achieve that vision.
By Cailin Crowe • May 23, 2022 -
A new Maryland-based nonprofit aims to create a hub supporting women of color entrepreneurs
Backed with funding from the county government, The 3rd’s founder says the model could help lift women of color-owned businesses in other cities as well.
By Amanda Loudin • May 18, 2022 -
Violence against mayors is becoming increasingly common: survey
Women mayors of color report the highest rates of harassment and threats, according to an Oklahoma State University study. The trend could deter some women from seeking reelection or running for public office.
By Cailin Crowe • May 17, 2022 -
Chicago launches digital equity council to address racial barriers to internet access
The city's new council comes as President Biden announced a discounted internet service earlier this week that could potentially provide free internet for millions of U.S. households.
By Cailin Crowe • May 12, 2022 -
Smart Cities Connect
NIST working group to tackle smart cities' ethical quandaries
The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Global City Teams Challenge launched a working group on diversity, equity, integrity and technology, researching best practices in areas like community engagement.
By Cailin Crowe • May 10, 2022 -
Transit agencies struggle to access funding, rights-of-way, due to complex governance structures
During a recent Eno Center for Transportation webinar, agency leaders from Philadelphia, Las Vegas and Vancouver, British Columbia, shared the challenges that current governance systems can create.
By Dan Zukowski • May 9, 2022 -
As scooter activity rebounds, San Diego cracks down with new restrictions
With the return of riders and tourists following the pandemic's dramatic dip, the city proposes quadrupling operator fees and tightening regulations in response to dangerous sidewalk use.
By Dan Zukowski • May 6, 2022 -
Tenants facing eviction fared better under NYC's legal assistance program: study
Since New York became the first U.S. city to guarantee universal legal representation to low-income tenants in housing court, Princeton researchers say eviction warrants and monetary judgments against them are down.
By Danielle McLean • May 5, 2022 -
Fleeing 'superstar' cities, tech workers are moving to mid-size and smaller cities, causing housing, traffic concerns
After many tech workers relocated to work remotely during the pandemic, smaller cities are now grappling with rising housing prices, traffic and homelessness.
By Karen Kroll • May 3, 2022 -
Los Angeles launches $17.8M universal basic mobility pilot
“We have to change the conversation about transportation investments and how they benefit cities if we hope to shake ourselves awake from zombie conversation about how much it all costs,” said one LADOT official.
By Austyn Gaffney • April 29, 2022 -
Lessons from California: Tips to keep transit projects on time, on budget
Local agencies tend to poorly plan infrastructure work and don’t have enough capacity to manage megaprojects, and common procurement methods create a management bottleneck, a new study from UC Berkeley found.
By Julie Strupp • April 28, 2022 -
Converting strip malls into mixed-use development could address California's housing crisis
The transformation could alleviate the housing shortage while aiding storefronts amid the shift to online shopping. But it would require cities to change land-use policies, said housing experts during an Urban Land Institute meeting.
By Danielle McLean • April 27, 2022 -
Leading Cities, QBE invite startups to apply to AcceliCITY resilience competition
The resilience challenge – accepting applications through April – also awards regional prizes and virtual incubator memberships. Another part of the competition seeks an urban food pilot for Gainesville, Florida.
By Cailin Crowe • April 27, 2022 -
US transportation sector could cut carbon emissions 34% by 2030: analysis
"We've actually made a lot of progress," said one researcher. Separately, the Biden administration announced $6.4 billion for states to use under the infrastructure law's carbon reduction program.
By Dan Zukowski • April 22, 2022 -
San Diego housing density bonus is spurring affordable units: report
Amid a crucial housing shortage in Southern California, developers have leveraged a city incentive program to build thousands of units since 2016.
By Danielle McLean • April 21, 2022 -
Participatory budgeting experiments aim to meet residents where they are
“The process is one of the products,” said Doug Matthews, assistant city manager in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which is leaving $2 million up to citizen-driven spending. “This is full-contact civic education and engagement.”
By Karen Kroll • April 20, 2022 -
Opinion
Harassment and intimidation are driving local leaders away from public service, and we all stand to lose
“I genuinely worry about how our nation’s cities, towns and villages will attract and retain the talent we need,” writes the head of the National League of Cities.
By Clarence E. Anthony • April 19, 2022 -
Proposed California EV regs could be adopted by other states
In a bid to ramp up zero-emission vehicle sales, the policy move could ultimately enable regulators "to set the national standards that we need to meet our climate goals," said one transportation and clean air policy expert.
By Dan Zukowski • April 18, 2022 -
New York City civic engagement survey gathers over 62,000 community voices
The effort aimed to collect a diverse and representative sample of the city’s population for the start of a three-part effort to build consensus around city priorities.
By Austyn Gaffney • April 14, 2022 -
Bird pilot aims to give NYC wheelchair users reliable and fast transport options
Under New York’s e-scooter pilot program, Bird is providing a first-of-its-kind motorized attachment free to individuals who use wheelchairs.
By Austyn Gaffney • April 13, 2022 -
California regulators to update vehicle emission requirements as state seeks to spur EV transition
The California Air Resources Board will update regulations for vehicles emissions and zero-emission vehicle requirements, as advocates want automakers mandated to make electric vehicles available to frontline communities.
By Dan Zukowski • April 13, 2022