The Latest

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    Robyn Griggs Lawrence/Smart Cities Dive
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    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.

  • A white airplane with 6 propellers flies over water with a red bridge in the background.
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    Courtesy of Archer Aviation
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    Commercial air taxi flights planned for these 5 US regions

    Archer Aviation, Beta Technologies and Joby Aviation are preparing for passenger operations with test flights in New York City, Los Angeles, the San Francisco Bay Area, Florida and Texas.

  • A flooded tree-lined street.
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    Megan Varner via Getty Images
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    FEMA said these Savannah neighborhoods were not flooding. Residents knew otherwise.

    When Federal Emergency Management Agency models failed to capture chronic neighborhood flooding, Savannah sought data from affected communities to solve longstanding drainage problems.

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    Mark Makela via Getty Images
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    ‘Watch what we do’: Philadelphia expands public performance dashboards

    Everything from where unsafe properties were reported to when a street was swept are now part of the city’s public performance dashboard.

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    Spencer Platt/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Homeless population declined 6.3% in January point-in-time count, HUD says

    The historic decline is the second consecutive annual drop in homelessness following a record surge.

  • A white bus along a curb in front of a red stone building,
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    Northern Illinois Transit Authority proposes first budget, capital spending plan

    With new state funding, the Chicago-area agency will focus on “frequent and reliable service, strong infrastructure and a system where people feel safe,” its acting president said.

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    Permission granted by Lakewood MUA
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    Column

    A better way to manage municipal capital improvement plans

    Cities can make better infrastructure decisions by treating capital improvement planning as a continuous discipline rather than a periodic exercise, a municipal water engineer writes.

  • A white car with sensors on the roof along a busy street.
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    Heather Diehl via Getty Images
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    Uber to have 700 robotaxis by year’s end

    The ride-hailing company plans to begin robotaxi service in San Francisco and Houston early next year. “We have relationships with the cities. We have operations in those markets,” its CEO said.

  • Person votes at a polling station.
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    Bill Pugliano via Getty Images
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    What the midterm results mean for multifamily housing

    Housing affordability is likely to remain a top priority for Congress as Democrats take control, experts said.

  • A sign that says "Vote Yes to Ban Data Centers" in the yard of a home with red, white and blue bunting on the front porch.
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    Jon Cherry via Getty Images
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    Voters’ data center backlash puts cities in the spotlight, experts say

    Overwhelming voter opposition could spur new state-level regulations and push local officials to demand more from data center developers on infrastructure, utilities and community impacts.

  • People standing in line in front of a building with a banner that reads Early Voting Entrance.
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    Jeff Dean via Getty Images
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    Voters approve $27.4B in local ballot measures to fund public transit

    “Voters across the country are choosing public transit,” the American Public Transportation Association CEO said, citing an 85% win rate including earlier measures.

    Updated Nov. 5, 2026
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    Permission granted by Atlanta mayor's office
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    Leader of the Year 2020: Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms, Atlanta

    The mayor has guided the city through the onset of a devastating pandemic and civic unrest while also fielding a lawsuit from the state governor and catching the attention of President-elect Joe Biden's administration.  

  • A view of the New York City skyline.
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    Getty Images
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    NYC pied-à-terre tax rollout can proceed, appeals court rules

    The decision reversed a lower court's ruling that the initial notices sent to homeowners were flawed.

  • A person hold a bike at a rack of blue bikes on a sidewalk with people walking nearby.
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    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
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    The best US cities for bike, pedestrian travel: Streetlight Data

    The report analyzed bicycle and pedestrian miles traveled in 100 U.S. cities. It found that walking accounted for seven times more miles annually than biking.

  • Aerial view of island with many houses and buildings surrounded by bodies of water with skyline in the distance.
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    Getty Images
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    5 factors shaping the most prosperous US cities

    Population renewal, climate resilience, social cohesion, technology readiness and long-term governance are critical to a region’s success, according to the Geography of Prosperity Index.

  • An AI-generated hologram of a person.
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    Courtesy of LiveX AI
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    AI-powered assistance moves into physical spaces with AI City product

    The kiosks offer personalized guidance and real-time assistance in on-site, a tech company says. In Santa Clara County, California, a mayor’s hologram is giving the answers.

  • An aerial view of a highway with skyscrapers in the distance.
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    Getty Images
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    These 6 US cities are demonstrating AI leadership: ThoughtLab

    Data management, infrastructure management and cybersecurity were among the top applications for AI in cities, the survey found.

  • A map of Central Park showing a blue line between Harlem Meer, Daylighted Stream, The Loch and The Pool, an orange line labeled pool-loch-meer recirculation and an X labeled reduced overflow to combined sewer.
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    Permission granted by Central Park Conservancy
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    Central Park stormwater project to reduce flood risk in NYC’s Harlem, East Harlem

    A $35.7M recirculation system is expected to capture stormwater, reduce sewer flows by 90% and save 175 million gallons of potable water annually.

  • A white airplane with 6 propellers flies over water with a red bridge in the background.
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    Courtesy of Archer Aviation
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    Tracker

    Air taxis and urban air mobility: The latest developments

    Joby Aviation is conducting piloted air taxi flights in Florida in cooperation with the state’s Department of Transportation.

    Updated Nov. 3, 2026
  • Aerial view of flooded city streets with two cars floating.
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    Ryan Murphy via Getty Images
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    FEMA commits $1.3B to disaster recovery, resilience

    The Federal Emergency Management Agency is offering $400 million to reduce flooding and awarded nearly $900 million in recovery and mitigation grants as it shifts responsibility to local governments.

  • A construction worker stands in a cherry picker high above a worksite, where a long concrete viaduct is visible.
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    Courtesy of California High-Speed Rail Authority
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    California High-Speed Rail Authority CEO steps down

    CEO Ian Choudri's departure becomes another challenge for the California High-Speed Rail Authority amid uncertain funding and a new governor set to take office next year.

  • The exterior of a tall government building on a clear sunny day.
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    Getty Images
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    Website upgrade lets users explore 50 years of Los Angeles records

    Users can seamlessly track legislative items and follow City Council meetings and agendas on the Los Angeles Office of the City Clerk site, the office says.

  • People at a protest holding signs that say "Defending the Vote, Fulfilling the Dream" and "Black Votes Matter"
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    Andrew Harnik via Getty Images
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    With concerns about federal election interference, cities and counties prepare to protect their authority

    Local officials are training poll workers, coordinating with civil rights groups and preparing legal strategies as concerns extend beyond Election Day to ballot counting and certification.

  • Aerial view of tall buildings with a domed building in the center.
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    Getty Images
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    How the 2028 Olympics is shaping downtown revitalization — in St. Louis

    The city is making the urban core a priority, betting on office-to-residential conversions, innovation zones and private-sector partnerships to tackle vacancies and blight and improve public safety.

  • a wood frame on a new house next to two existing houses with a sand front yard
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    Getty Images
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    ROAD to Housing Act has 35 key provisions for cities, NLC says. Here’s how to track them.

    The landmark housing legislation has more than 120 implementation actions, most of them the responsibility of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.