FEMA violating court order on $1B in public safety grants, states’ lawsuit says

The states are seeking enforcement of a permanent injunction that bars the agency from conditioning emergency management and counterterrorism funds on federal immigration cooperation.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 12, 2026

Plan now for 2027’s top smart city conferences and events

Technology, transportation, housing, climate, finance and more are on the agenda for local government leaders at these upcoming gatherings.

By Smart Cities Dive Staff • Oct. 6, 2026

Snow season is coming. Can your city see its storm response in real time?

How cities are moving snow response off radio and paper maps to a live, street-level view.

Oct. 5, 2026

Flock fight moves to Congress

Bills in the U.S. House and Senate would restrict law enforcement’s use of automated license plate readers and withhold federal funds from communities that use the technology.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Oct. 1, 2026

Court blocks FEMA from tying public safety grants to election policies

The ruling clears the way for more than $200 million in funding for SWAT teams, bomb squads and other local preparedness efforts.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 30, 2026

White House, DOT officials meet with transit leaders on safety and security

While transit funding remains uncertain, transit agency officials cite fare evasion, disruptive riders, cybersecurity and terrorism as potential threats to riders.

By Dan Zukowski • Sept. 30, 2026

The ‘next 9/11’ may not look like 9/11, former FDNY fire chief says

Prepare for a new generation of threats, including climate disasters, says Joseph Pfeifer, who went on to found the fire department’s Center for Terrorism and Disaster Preparedness.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 11, 2026

2026 Smart Cities Dive Community Project Award Winners: Solving real community needs

Addressing energy costs, housing, transportation and community engagement, these initiatives exemplify the innovation that helps cities and counties improve residents’ lives.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 10, 2026

The Smart Cities Dive Awards

To highlight notable people and projects in U.S. city, county and regional government, Smart Cities Dive presents the Public Service Awards and the Community Project Awards.

By Rachel H. Pollack • Sept. 10, 2026

Participatory budgeting behind bars: Durham, North Carolina, gives incarcerated residents a say

This 2026 Smart Cities Dive Community Project Award-winning program invites people in the county jail to weigh in on municipal spending. One resident told officials it restored his humanity.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Sept. 10, 2026

For accessibility, the ADA set the foundation. Here’s how cities can aim higher.

Let's move beyond minimum standards so deaf and hard-of-hearing residents don't have to rely on context clues and other people during emergencies.

By Jessica Aiello • Sept. 8, 2026

First responders know how to stay healthy. Their jobs make it harder.

Give first responders better health information—so they can know where to focus.

Sept. 8, 2026

States move to rein in license plate surveillance as cities face growing scrutiny

Arizona, Connecticut, Florida and South Dakota are pushing for statewide rules. The issues “are too great to be decided in isolation at the local level,” the Arizona attorney general’s office says.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 28, 2026

Mapping, digital twins boost emergency services, building management in Frisco, Texas

The city created an indoor mapping system to help responders during school emergencies, but the system has since expanded to help asset management and more, an IT expert says.

By Joe Burns • Aug. 25, 2026

ICE is using shock gloves. Local police shouldn’t, a policing expert says.

Municipal agencies should scrutinize the technology’s capabilities, limitations and costs before following ICE’s lead in using it, a criminal justice professor and former police officer says.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 25, 2026

FEMA public safety grant policy challenged in city, county lawsuit

Four local governments sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security over new requirements that would withhold $200 million in funding unless they verify voter citizenship and switch to paper ballots.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated Aug. 19, 2026

Fire response is infrastructure. Cities should treat it that way.

Aging fleets and increasingly demanding fire conditions require cities to rethink how they support the technology behind emergency response.

By Kirk McKinzie • Aug. 14, 2026

Cyberattack impacts critical public safety operations in California city

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced a state AI cyberdefense program in the wake of the ongoing cybersecurity incident in Suisun City, California.

By Ryan Kushner • Aug. 11, 2026

As Flock surveillance camera backlash grows, one governor tells cities to pause installations

Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont is asking police officials to develop guidelines on surveillance technology and clarify how data is collected and used.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 10, 2026

Cities need a new workforce strategy. Universities should be part of it.

Local governments facing labor shortages can build stronger talent pipelines and improve public services through deeper partnerships with higher education, a criminal justice professor says.

By Michael Birzer • Aug. 7, 2026

30+ water utility cyberattacks expose a vulnerability across US cities

Attackers remotely accessed industrial controllers at water systems in seven states. The campaign suggests a common weakness utilities everywhere should address, experts warn.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Aug. 3, 2026

Accessible pedestrian signal rollout in Chicago ahead of targets, but technical gaps persist: report

Improvements are needed to ensure blind and low-vision pedestrians can safely use the system, inspectors say, but the city has exceeded its court-ordered installation requirement.

By Lori Tobias • July 29, 2026

States sue over FEMA tying public safety funding to elections, immigration

The agency’s threat to withhold Homeland Security Grant funding jeopardizes emergency response, wildfire management, flood mitigation and other programs, the lawsuit states. FEMA says it “will preserve election integrity.”

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 24, 2026

Beyond the stadium: What the World Cup can teach every community about first impressions

Why the visitor experience begins long before the first match and lasts long after the final whistle.

July 20, 2026

US pedestrian deaths decline for third straight year

The estimated reduction in pedestrian fatalities in 2025 came as cities and states increase law enforcement and other measures, the Governors Highway Safety Association said.

By Dan Zukowski • July 14, 2026