Election security requirements added to FEMA homeland security grants

The agency is requiring states and “high-risk urban election jurisdictions” to use paper ballots and verify voter citizenship. Previous immigration and diversity-related restrictions have sparked state and local government lawsuits.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • July 9, 2026

Extreme heat road map urges cities to rethink resilience

Treat extreme heat as a chronic risk, the Federation of American Scientists says. It offers solutions ranging from grid resilience to cooling access.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated July 8, 2026

Allowing guns in stores is the default, Supreme Court says

In shooting down a Hawai'i law, the top court puts the onus on owners of public-facing private property to say guns are prohibited if they want to keep their property gun-free.

By Robert Freedman • June 26, 2026

FEMA offers $1.5B in anti-terrorism funding as local governments assume larger security role

Applications are open through July 24 for grants supporting cybersecurity, emergency coordination, election and border protection and transit security.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 25, 2026

DOJ subpoenas of Minnesota city and state leaders quashed in federal court

Saying the subpoenas were intended to "harass, coerce, and retaliate,” the judge reinforced legal limits on federal efforts to pressure cities and states into supporting immigration enforcement operations. 

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • Updated June 23, 2026

Crime is falling. Why don’t residents feel safer?

Statistics alone won’t change public perception, say the mayors of Providence, Rhode Island, and Kansas City, Missouri. Building trust requires visibility, relationships and consistent communication.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 18, 2026

Secure America Act expands ICE funding, puts new pressure on ‘sanctuary’ cities

The new law rewards local participation in federal immigration enforcement and directs funds toward operations in jurisdictions that limit cooperation. “Sanctuary” cities vow to fight back.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 11, 2026

Pedestrian death rates remain high: Smart Growth America study

More than three-quarters of cities studied saw higher average fatality rates over the past five years, but federal programs for pedestrian safety are at risk.

By Dan Zukowski • June 10, 2026

Is FEMA ready for disaster season?

While a new report warns of staffing shortages, vacant leadership posts and strained federal-state relationships, the agency’s acting administrator insists it is prepared for hurricane and wildfire season.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 10, 2026

What the World Cup reveals about cities’ growing heat risk

Extreme temperatures and wildfire smoke threaten athletes’ and fans’ health, highlighting the need to adapt infrastructure and public safety plans for a warming climate, scientists say.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • June 9, 2026

How do transportation agencies address human trafficking? US DOT awards recognize innovation

New “counter-trafficking tools, initiatives, campaigns, and technologies” can qualify for monetary awards in a program accepting applications through June 22.

By Dan Zukowski • June 3, 2026

Sanctuary from what? Abortion, gun rights, other measures test the limits of local sanctuary policies.

As cities adopt protections for trans people, reproductive care, the unborn, gun owners and even bears, questions about enforcement, legal stakes and the cost of defying higher governments remain.

By Danielle McLean • May 18, 2026

DOJ targets ‘sanctuary’ rules in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Albuquerque, New Mexico, joins a growing list of cities facing federal lawsuits over immigration enforcement policies. “We are ready to defend our community,” the city’s mayor said.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • May 11, 2026

FEMA Review Council pushes disaster responsibility to cities, states

The council’s final report recommends streamlining aid programs, accelerating funding delivery and giving local governments greater operational and financial obligation for emergency management.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • May 8, 2026

Building resilient communities: how cooperative contracting can accelerate emergency preparedness

Don't wait for a crisis to plan. Cooperative contracts can keep you prepared for emergency response.

By Micah Gibson, Communications Coordinator, NASPO • April 13, 2026

Bus industry group launches scholarship for human trafficking survivors

Traffickers often use intercity buses to transport victims, according to the American Bus Association.

By Dan Zukowski • March 27, 2026

Extreme heat is here. Here’s how 2 cities plan to deal with it.

From data-driven targeting to cross-agency coordination, Miami-Dade County and Philadelphia are mitigating heat risk with concrete interventions.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • March 26, 2026

5 tools local governments are using to block ICE detention centers

Local governments can’t override federal authority, but they’re leveraging zoning, infrastructure limits and litigation to stop detention projects tied to Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s expansion plans.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • March 18, 2026

Amid nationwide extreme weather, scientists and Colorado leaders fight to save NCAR

Dismantling the National Center for Atmospheric Research will have “severe consequences” for protecting lives and the economy, the American Meteorological Society warned.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • March 16, 2026

What is a ‘sanctuary’ city? Lawmakers still can’t agree.

Sen. Lindsey Graham’s bill would punish local officials for not cooperating with immigration enforcement. But no consensus exists on what qualifies as a “sanctuary” jurisdiction or how many there are.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • March 13, 2026

Federal funding at risk as House advances anti-sanctuary bill

The Shut Down Sanctuary Policies Act would redirect law-enforcement funding to cities and states that cooperate with federal immigration enforcement and would allow crime victims to sue local governments.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • March 10, 2026

Better weather forecasts, disaster reviews the goal of new federal bills

As emergency managers warn NOAA and National Weather Service cuts threaten public safety, the proposals would further investigate major weather disasters and invest in forecasting technology.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • March 6, 2026

DHS funding impasse freezes security grants, stalls local law enforcement

The shutdown “has essentially paralyzed local operations by delaying funding and grant rollouts and by furloughing critical personnel,” a sheriffs coalition said in a letter to Congress.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • March 5, 2026

NYC public housing has a vacancy problem, an investigation found. Squatters are filling the gaps.

The number of vacant New York City Housing Authority apartments increased nearly 140% from 2022 to 2025, a New York City Department of Investigation report found. The vacancies are posing safety risks.

By Ryan Kushner • March 5, 2026

Can AI close the language gap in disaster warnings? A federal watchdog raises concerns.

The National Weather Service lacks clear goals and a funding strategy as it attempts to scale AI-powered multilingual alerts, a Government Accountability Office report warns.

By Robyn Griggs Lawrence • March 2, 2026