Seattle creates first Resilience Roadmap

Seattle is the fastest-growing big city in the U.S., resulting in challenges that test resilience, including affordable housing and opportunity gaps.  

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 30, 2019

Local governments will use Facebook to send emergency alerts

The platform began testing alerts last year to help government agencies spread information about crises like flash floods, shootings and bomb threats.

By Kristin Musulin • Aug. 30, 2019

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

NYC doubles curbside rain gardens in green infrastructure program

The gardens trap rainwater to help prevent flooding and combined sewer overflows and also improve air quality and beautify neighborhoods.

By Chris Teale • Aug. 30, 2019

St. Louis, DHS team up for smart city pilot

The pilot program will help the city improve its emergency response to extreme weather with flood, video and route management sensors. 

By Cailin Crowe • Aug. 30, 2019

Austin, TX to increase green job access for people of color

The initiative will disperse grants between $10,000 and $50,000 each for equitable workforce development and green job opportunities.

By Cailin Crowe • Aug. 28, 2019

Utah researchers analyze transit data to determine pollution offsets

A University of Utah study found the state's public transit system offsets 1.5% of the region's on-road greenhouse gas emissions.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 28, 2019

Columbus, OH is first non-compliant city to meet ozone air quality standard

By increasing mass transit and EV use, the city reduced vehicle emissions and nitrogen oxide, one of the biggest sources of urban pollution. 

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 26, 2019

NYC steps up outreach to homeless using subway as shelter

The city's HOME-STAT initiative has helped more than 2,200 citizens transition off the streets since it launched three years ago. 

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 23, 2019

Study: Florida, California home to most limited evacuation routes

As natural disasters intensify, StreetLight Data used machine-learning algorithms to identify the U.S. communities with the highest vehicle evacuation risk.

By Kristin Musulin • Aug. 22, 2019

Smart cities 'doomed from the start' without better broadband

At the Colorado Smart Cities Symposium, Rep. Diana DeGette, D-CO, urged cities to boost spending around access or risk falling behind.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 22, 2019

Twin Cities cuts overnight rail service, displacing homeless

The action has sparked a familiar debate: What can be done about people experiencing homelessness who use trains for shelter?  

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 21, 2019

Texas officials 'unaware' of any ransom payments after widespread attack

More than half of the 23 organizations impacted are "back to operations as usual" after the August attack, according to the Texas Department of Information Resources. 

By Samantha Schwartz • Updated Sept. 9, 2019

Mississippi's largest city ends recycling

After trying for months, Jackson officials found a way out of their curbside agreement. Questions remain about how it happened — and what comes next.

By Cole Rosengren • Aug. 20, 2019

Study: Breathing dirty air is like smoking a pack a day

Although emissions of air pollutants have dropped in recent decades, recent EPA data shows that air quality has actually declined in many cities. 

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 16, 2019

How 'green' concrete can help cities fight climate change

The built environment produces over 40% of global CO2 emissions. U.S. mayors are taking the lead to cut emissions with CO2 mineralized concrete.

By Cailin Crowe • Aug. 15, 2019

Multifunctional city parks can aid residents during earthquake recovery, study says

Researchers at a university in Canada explored how cities can use open spaces as community resource hubs after natural disasters.

By Kira Barrett • Aug. 14, 2019

Seattle City Council passes resolution advancing Green New Deal

Council members' decision, which lays out climate-friendly development strategies, was met with a standing ovation from spectators.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 14, 2019

New Orleans passes restrictions on short-term housing rentals

Short-term rentals through Airbnb, Homeaway and other companies will be banned in two of the city's most popular tourist zones and restricted elsewhere. 

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 13, 2019

100 experts issue dire warning about urban sprawl's impact on climate change

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned cities to quickly change how they use land and water resources.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 13, 2019

Appeals court ruling undercuts FCC’s plan for speedy 5G rollout

A three-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals’ D.C. Circuit said it cannot bypass historical and environmental reviews of small cell sites.

By Chris Teale • Aug. 12, 2019

Austin, TX City Council declares 'climate emergency'

The ordinance calls for immediate action, requiring the city council to track accountability and reporting structure goals. 

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 12, 2019

Los Angeles County passes ambitious climate plan

The OurCounty plan calls for eliminating fossil fuel production, increasing the sourcing of water locally and engaging disadvantaged communities in decision-making.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 8, 2019

Fighting extreme heat in cities with urban design

To adapt to climate change, we need to build cities like we did in the past – moving toward a climate-responsive urban design, centered on people.

By Adam Freed and Jacob Koch • Aug. 8, 2019

San Diego tops list of cities that offer best work-life balance

Work-life balance is a stated top priority for job seekers and employees, but some cities are better at meeting those expectations than others.

By Riia O'Donnell • Aug. 7, 2019

Going green with Los Angeles' first city forest officer

In the newly created position, Rachel Malarich will help plant 90,000 trees across the city and unify the departments handling the urban canopy.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 6, 2019