New bipartisan bill bars major investors from buying single-family homes

Legislation released in the wake of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address aims to boost homeownership, but experts say it won’t solve the root problem plaguing housing affordability and access.

By Julie Strupp • March 2, 2026

Frederick County, Maryland, plots a ‘more active’ approach to housing shortages

The county needs to build nearly 32,000 housing units in the next decade to meet demand, a new report found.

By Ryan Kushner • March 2, 2026

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive

From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.

By Smart Cities Dive staff

Teachers struggle to afford housing. What are districts doing about it?

To help recruit and retain staff, more school districts are stepping in to give them a break on rent — and even a leg up on homeownership.

By Anna Merod • Feb. 27, 2026

What Trump said about housing in his State of the Union address

The president emphasized affordability in his economy-focused annual speech but offered little new information.

By Julie Strupp • Feb. 26, 2026

How one company is using AI to transform affordable housing

EliseAI is automating workflows and taking phone calls for property managers who oversee one in six rental units in the U.S., the company says.

By Ryan Kushner • Feb. 26, 2026

US homes are becoming uninsurable, study says. Here are 3 things states can do.

As natural disasters drive up home insurance costs, states are in a position to curb a looming insurability crisis, a Natural Resources Defense Council report says.

By Ryan Kushner • Feb. 25, 2026

3 state-level parking reform efforts to watch

To encourage housing development, more states are ending parking spot minimums.

By Ryan Kushner • Feb. 23, 2026

Pritzker proposes statewide zoning standards to boost housing in Illinois

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker targeted local housing regulations in his State of the State this week, unveiling a path for more “missing middle” development.

By Ryan Kushner • Feb. 20, 2026

HUD rule would bar families with mixed immigration status from federally funded housing

The proposed policy changes would result in the eviction of tens of thousands of tenants from agency-supported housing, nonprofit groups say.

By Julie Strupp • Feb. 20, 2026

Oregon mandates heat pumps in new housing

The update to the state’s residential energy code could save residents of housing built after the change an average of $125 a month in energy costs, an analysis found.

By Ryan Kushner • Feb. 19, 2026

Los Angeles’ encampment cleanup program may displace more people than it helps, study finds

As efforts to clear encampments continue, unhoused individuals in LA are being forced to move around, according to a UCLA study.

By Ryan Kushner • Feb. 10, 2026

What needs to happen for urban apartment development to return?

Parking requirements, permit fees and zoning reform are among the solutions that would incentivize higher-density development, housing advocates say.

By Leslie Shaver • Feb. 10, 2026

Federal energy-assistance programs survive budget gauntlet

President Trump signed budget bills to maintain funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program and the Weatherization Assistance Program on Feb. 3, 2026.

By Brian Martucci • Feb. 6, 2026

With a boost from Meta, Sacramento eyes more affordable student housing

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg pledged $50 million for a downtown project that will facilitate affordable housing, STEM facilities and an AI center.

By Ryan Kushner • Feb. 6, 2026

Philadelphia’s $2B bet on affordable housing

The city’s HOME initiative aims to build and preserve 30,000 housing units.

By Ryan Kushner • Feb. 5, 2026

Transit-oriented development bill introduced in Congress

The bipartisan Build HUBS Act would incentivize construction of more housing near transit lines nationwide.

By Julie Strupp • Feb. 4, 2026

HHS launches $100M program to address homelessness, substance abuse in 8 localities

HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the pilot program will be open to faith-based organizations.

By Ryan Kushner • Feb. 4, 2026

Utah is planning to construct a vast homeless shelter. Some critics are calling it a ‘detention camp.’

Two members of Congress joined the National Homelessness Law Center in calling for a rejection of federal funding for the 1,300-bed facility in Salt Lake City.

By Ryan Kushner • Feb. 2, 2026

The Smart Cities outlook for 2026: Pressure points for city leaders

As cities navigate housing reform, transportation needs, climate resilience, AI and changes in federal funding, 2026 will be a consequential year for how they govern, budget and protect their autonomy.

By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Jan. 30, 2026

Where one investor sees distressed apartment opportunities

Neighborhood Ventures is launching a second opportunistic $25 million fund to acquire troubled multifamily properties.

By Leslie Shaver • Jan. 30, 2026

How cities are using AI in 2026

“We’re all in learning mode … and looking at it with a wary eye,” one mayor said about AI’s potential for municipal operations. Read more in this 2026 outlook.

By Vicky Uhland and Robyn Lawrence • Updated Feb. 2, 2026

HUD orders citizenship verification for 200,000 tenants

Public housing agencies must check and report on the eligibility of tenants flagged in the new EIV-SAVE Tenant Match Report.

By Julie Strupp • Jan. 27, 2026

Colorado bills take ‘big swing’ at state’s housing shortage

As the state pushes to ramp up development, a lawsuit from several municipalities accuses it of overstepping its authority.

By Ryan Kushner • Jan. 23, 2026

New Jersey towns hit another wall in fight against state’s affordable housing mandate

A federal judge dismissed a lawsuit a coalition of 27 localities filed over New Jersey’s affordable housing law. The towns vow to keep fighting.

By Ryan Kushner • Jan. 22, 2026

HUD launches fair housing investigation into Minneapolis

The city said the probe “appears to be about politics, not affordable housing.”

By Julie Strupp • Jan. 21, 2026