Austin’s new chief resiliency officer talks equipping communities in face of extreme weather, violence, injustice

Former Houston official Laura Patiño talks about lessons learned from Winter Storm Uri, the push to enact "resilience hubs" and the potential for a national chief resilience officer. 

By Maria Rachal • May 31, 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

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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

As destructive wildfires increase, new model can calculate property risk

A nonprofit's online tool identifies a home's wildfire risk based on publicly available data and property details. Nearly 80 million homes are expected to face some level of risk by 2050 as climate change continues.

By Matthew Thibault • May 19, 2022

White House vows to speed up environmental review for federal infrastructure projects

The new action plan will help streamline permitting and accelerate projects, Biden administration officials said earlier this week.

By Julie Strupp • May 13, 2022

To track urban heat, NOAA initiative offers funding for 2024

Jan. 31 is the deadline for communities to apply for the urban heat island mapping program for tracking neighborhood-level heat disparities.

By Maria Rachal • Updated Jan. 4, 2024

Park funding not keeping up with needs: survey

Deferred maintenance costs are ballooning as cities and residents lean on parks for more and more uses, an annual Trust for Public Land analysis of the 100 most populous U.S. cities found.

By Maria Rachal • May 4, 2022

Minneapolis shares compost program tips as NYC, DC, Chicago ponder new services

The Minnesota city has over 50% program participation after going citywide around 2015. Boston and Denver are also among the cities with potential expansions on the horizon.

By Maria Rachal • May 3, 2022

To reduce transportation emissions, make it realistic for people to ditch cars

Building walkable communities with easy access to public transit is key to reducing our reliance on cars and achieving environmental goals, writes the CEO of Keolis North America.

By David Scorey • May 2, 2022

Michigan awards grants to spur EV equity and economic development

The grant program aims to increase access to electric vehicles and charging stations in underserved communities while also creating EV-related jobs through public-private partnerships.

By Dan Zukowski • April 29, 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

California readies regulations for zero-emission truck fleets

Medium- and heavy-duty vehicles are the next big frontier in transportation electrification. The move to EVs has been slower in this segment because of its higher energy needs.

By Dan Zukowski • April 26, 2022

Climate investment gaps could prompt creative financing ideas from cities

With climate action initiatives underfunded around the world, some cities are experimenting with different ways to find funds and promote investment, one expert said.

By Maria Rachal • April 25, 2022

Climate change ripple effects include migration, gentrification and more, new report suggests

Vulnerable cities, recipient cities and climate destinations each face their own challenges managing population fluctuations and infrastructure risks, as outlined in an NLC framework and report released Thursday.

By Maria Rachal • April 22, 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

Boston to offer residents curbside composting

The city announced Thursday that service will begin Aug. 1 and could serve up to 10,000 households in its first year, with enrollment prioritizing residents in vulnerable communities.

By Maria Rachal • Updated May 27, 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

Robotic balloons could provide high-res images for numerous urban applications

Flying at 60,000 feet, they can help cities monitor vegetation, power lines, roadways and more and could potentially aid navigation for advanced urban transportation tech like AVs and VTOLs, says the CEO of Near Space Labs.

By Dan Zukowski • April 14, 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

Denver is changing how residents will pay for trash collection

The city council voted Monday to expand recycling pickups and provide weekly compost collection at no added cost, while charging for trash service based on how much households throw out. Changes take effect in 2023.

By Maria Rachal • Updated June 28, 2022

City leaders share ideas on how to maximize federal dollars

At the Smart Cities Connect conference last week, local leaders called for a rethink of how cities seek to allocate federal dollars, including through community engagement, data-led decisions and regional collaborations. 

By Cailin Crowe • April 12, 2022

For the Building Performance Standards Coalition to be effective, the White House must think bigger

The former head of the U.S. Green Building Council weighs in on how federal, state and local government partners can go beyond just reducing building emissions as they pursue decarbonization.  

By Mahesh Ramanujam • April 8, 2022

Latest UN climate change report shines new light on well-documented urban mitigation strategies

Cities must push harder to decarbonize buildings and transform transportation norms, the report suggests, as the next three years are critical if the world is to change the course of global warming.

By Maria Rachal • April 5, 2022

Transit-oriented development catches on as cities need to boost ridership and housing supply

Cities are opting to build mixed-use developments near public transportation, but experts in Seattle, Atlanta and elsewhere say getting it right is a big challenge.

By Adina Solomon • April 1, 2022

IDC names 17 winners for its 2022 North America Smart City Awards

From Schenectady, New York, to Santa Ana, California, the group recognized smart city accomplishments across 14 categories for its fifth annual awards.

By Cailin Crowe • March 30, 2022

Nearly $45B for climate and clean energy included in Biden’s proposed budget

It calls for investments in zero-emission vehicles and related infrastructure so federal agencies can provide "immediate, clear, and stable" demand. There are also carveouts for electrifying low-income homes.

By Ethan Howland • March 29, 2022