The Latest
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Robyn Griggs Lawrence/Smart Cities Dive
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.
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Sponsored by Routeware
After the storm passes, can your city’s waste operation keep up?
Cleanup is essential to post-storm community recovery. Two cities show why the systems that drive it need to be in place before the weather turns.
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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.
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Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
Data centers on more than 3 dozen local ballots
Local ballot measures across 10 states will test support for restricting development, and the results could shape local authority and state policy in 2027.
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HUD proposals could transform manufactured housing. Cities must be ‘nimble,’ an expert says.
The era of chassis-free construction will usher in cheaper, more diverse manufactured homes, experts say, but implementation questions remain.
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Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
$130M FRA grant will upgrade Springfield, Massachusetts, train station
The funds will help advance plans for future east-west passenger train service between Boston and Albany, New York.
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2030 census proposal could put city funding, planning at risk: NLC
The Census Bureau’s residency criteria and data-collection changes could hurt university communities, fast-growing cities and places with seasonal residents, the National League of Cities says.
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World Cup’s lessons will help cities, transit agencies with the 2028 Olympics
Transportation investments for mega-events can create “sustainable change in cities,” a consultant said.
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Retrieved from City of South Euclid on October 28, 2026
From 59 zoning codes to 1: That’s the goal of this Ohio county’s streamlining plan
The Cuyahoga County, Ohio, Planning Commission says its proposal would modernize zoning standards, unlock development and reduce barriers across the county’s jurisdictions.
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Facing critical PHP website vulnerabilities, cities urged to shore up systems
The threat to large and medium-sized local governments is categorized as high, and smaller local governments face a medium-level threat, the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center said.
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Courtesy of Beta Technologies
FAA issues first eVTOL passenger-carrying flight authorization
Piloted Beta Technologies air taxi flights may carry potential buyers to plan how the air taxi might fit into their business, the company's CEO said.
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OpinionHeat pumps are still expensive. Cities can help.
Cities can use collective purchasing, streamlined permitting and targeted assistance to give residents access to efficient heating and cooling, Elephant Energy’s CEO writes.
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Jeff Dean via Getty Images
Transit on the ballot in these 11 states
Transportation advocates have high hopes for the Nov. 3 election, which will allow voters to weigh in on measures supporting road, rail, pedestrian and bike infrastructure.
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$10B for PFAS removal proposed in bipartisan House bill
The Protect Clean Water Act would authorize $2 billion annually to extend federal support for contaminant removal and water infrastructure.
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After major zoning reform, Cambridge, Massachusetts, launches dashboard to track housing
The city’s public-facing tracker shows nearly 250 housing projects in various stages of development.
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Baltimore sues rental software platform, apartment owner over alleged junk fees
The city claims that the companies steered tenants “toward fee-generating payment options by obscuring the fees associated with each payment method.”
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Andrew Harnik via Getty Images
FEMAFew states, cities have capacity to handle disasters without FEMA, reports find
States could be expected to shoulder more disaster and recovery costs within six months, but federal reports document staffing and funding shortfalls at state and local emergency management agencies.
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Courtesy of Seattle Social Housing Developer
Seattle social housing hits milestone with land acquisition
The Seattle Social Housing Developer Board will build around 20 mixed-income homes in the city’s Central District. It expects to own 1,000 homes by the end of next year.
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Courtesy of LA Metro
LA Metro breaks ground on 12-mile bus rapid transit corridor
The project will upgrade 26 bus stations along the route and connect with multiple rail lines and other bus routes.
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High housing costs are driving poverty in these 10 states
Above-average housing prices are canceling out the impact of antipoverty programs such as SNAP in some states, a Pew Charitable Trusts analysis found.
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Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office
Global conflicts, local consequences: Cities confront rising threats, violence sparked by international events
The Israel-Hamas war has tested U.S. community leaders’ ability to protect residents and maintain social cohesion. A standing crisis protocol can help cities prepare, experts say.
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Local impacts of high transportation costs
Inflation hits commuters, drivers and fliers, according to Bureau of Transportation Statistics data. The impacts can change residents' travel, dining and shopping plans.
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Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
Google unveils agentic AI for government services
The Gemini offering is capable of policy analysis, Freedom of Information Act redactions and assisting with procurement compliance, the company says.
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Good luck finding parking in these big US cities: Inrix report
Drivers in downtown areas must choose between searching for on-street parking or paying high fees at public parking lots and garages, the transportation analytics company found.
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Photo illustration by Spencer Platt/Smart Cities Dive; photograph by Spencer Platt via Getty Images
NYC ‘sanctuary’ rules upheld in court
Citing state sovereignty and the 10th Amendment, a federal judge dismissed the Trump administration’s attempt to override New York City’s restrictions on immigration enforcement cooperation.
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Housing policies on the ballot: What 4 states are asking voters to decide this year
From zoning regulations to bond approvals, the six statewide housing measures up for a vote in November are the most in a single year since 2006, Ballotpedia says.
