NYC hires first chief privacy officer

Laura Negrón will be responsible for improving the city's data sharing and mining processes, and promoting citywide protocols on information collection.

By Kristin Musulin • April 4, 2018

Houston agency proposes new floodplain construction standards

The cost of building to these new standards is expected to range from $11,000 to $32,000 per structure.

By Kim Slowey • April 4, 2018

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

Atlanta still struggling to get out from ransomware attack's grip

Attackers appeared to change some documents, with some files tweaked to include "weapologize" and "imsorry."

By Samantha Schwartz • April 3, 2018

How the Women Led Cities initiative is amplifying female voices in city planning, design

The Philadelphia-based group aims to eliminate inequity that affects women and girls in urban settings.

By Katie Pyzyk • April 3, 2018

Blockchain could mean security, transparency for wide range of city services

The technology for managing transactions could be used in voting, waste management, parking and other areas, according to a panel of experts.

By Chris Teale • April 2, 2018

Gallup: Partisan gaps widen over climate change

Overall concern about climate change remains at near-record levels, but Democrats' and Republicans' views differ significantly.

By Katie Pyzyk • April 2, 2018

Cities look to short-term rental regulations to fix housing crises

Talk of a housing "crisis" has prompted some cities to place limits on home-sharing companies like Airbnb and Homeaway as they look to stave off low supply and high demand.

By Katie Pyzyk • April 2, 2018

$1M Knight Foundation grant to tackle sustainability, resiliency in Miami and Miami Beach

The three-year Harvard University Graduate School of Design study will examine Los Angeles, Boston and Detroit in future sessions.

By Katie Pyzyk • March 27, 2018

Gridlock woes: Traffic congestion by the numbers

102 hours — that's how much time residents in this city spend in their cars during peak hours. If you think it is New York, you are wrong.

By Katie Pyzyk • March 27, 2018

Why building a dynamic smart city requires an equally-dynamic network

The network supporting a city's smart technology must adapt intuitively to shift bandwidth accordingly when and where it’s most critical. 

By Daniele Loffreda • March 26, 2018

Los Angeles hired its first chief design officer. Will other cities follow suit?

After 13 years as an architecture critic for the Los Angeles Times, Christopher Hawthorne will take on a new role to help the city enhance its urban design.

By Kristin Musulin • March 19, 2018

These female mayors shattered the glass ceiling in their mid-size cities

The new mayors of Manchester, NH and Provo, UT share their experiences as the first women ever elected to the office in their cities.

By Katie Pyzyk • March 19, 2018

USDA Forest Service: More urban forests needed as cities grow

The report found that urban land will total 163 million acres nationwide in 2060, an area roughly the size of Montana.

By Chris Teale • March 16, 2018

The partnerships enabling disabled city residents to better explore their surroundings

Experts say that despite cities' pushes for inclusivity, people with disabilities remain an overlooked group, especially during city planning processes.

By Katie Pyzyk • March 15, 2018

Officials talk up rollout of 'game-changer' FirstNet

Features, including enhanced location finding, could be helpful in urban areas to show which story of a high-rise someone is on.

By Chris Teale • March 14, 2018

Q&A: NYC CTO Miguel Gamiño on making tech work ‘for all people’

Gamiño discussed his "people first" approach, his push to make broadband accessible and his thoughts on New York's unofficial nickname, "Silicon Valley East."

By Katie Pyzyk • March 13, 2018

Houston awarded $9.4M to install flood warning systems

The federal funds will pay for flood warning systems including sensors and cameras at 40 sections of its streets that are prone to flooding.

By Chris Teale • March 9, 2018

Salt Lake City removes EV charging fees to encourage use

The city will add more charging stations this year, in addition to the 28 it installed last year.

By Katie Pyzyk • March 7, 2018

DC wins 'Gold' award for bike friendliness

It is now one of only 30 "Gold" bike-friendly communities in the country, according to the League of American Bicyclists.

By Katie Pyzyk • March 6, 2018

Tech vs. policy: Finding the best approach to combat homelessness

Researchers are determining if technological methods curb homelessness as effectively as traditional and holistic methods. 

By Katie Pyzyk • March 6, 2018

Cities look to ‘zero waste’ plans, material bans to reach sustainability goals

Different approaches toward waste sustainability illustrate a common theme: There is no one right answer to becoming a more sustainable smart city. 

By Katie Pyzyk • March 2, 2018

US mainland mayors to help rebuild Puerto Rico through Mayor Exchange

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu traveled to Puerto Rico with a number of mainland mayors earlier this week to offer guidance and support to devastated communities.

By Kristin Musulin • Feb. 28, 2018

Report: Cities of all sizes can achieve sustainable energy solutions

The NRG report found that leading cities shared four main tactics in their efforts to boost sustainable energy: dedicated staff resources, employing unique assets, finding funding and accessing expertise.

By Katie Pyzyk • Feb. 27, 2018

ACLU of Maine attorney advises caution regarding Portland's smart city plans

ACLU attorney Emma Bond expressed concern that the decision for Portland, ME to move forward with surveillance and data-collection technology is "premature."

By Kristin Musulin • Feb. 26, 2018

3 US cities chosen for human trafficking prevention program

The Pathways to Freedom program will help cities financially to develop innovative ways to prevent human trafficking and support survivors.

By Katie Pyzyk • Feb. 22, 2018