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.

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    Sponsored by JLL

    Facilities condition assessments: A framework for evaluating infrastructure priorities

    FCAs allow agencies to prioritize investments, maintenance decisions and long-term capital planning.

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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.

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    Oliver Peric via Getty Images
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    Got Flock cameras? 6 things to consider

    Involve residents, scrutinize vendor contracts, establish clear usage rules and track whether automated license plate readers improve public safety before adopting or expanding the technology, experts say.

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    Courtesy of Archer Aviation
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    Tracker

    Air taxis and urban air mobility: The latest developments

     Archer Aviation completed a series of demonstration flights in the San Francisco Bay Area.

    Updated Oct. 20, 2026
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    These 3 housing programs are showing results. A new initiative wants to bring them to other cities.

    With investments of $450,000 to $750,000 in 14 cities, Bloomberg Philanthropies wants to replicate housing programs from Atlanta, San Diego and Austin, Texas.

    Updated Oct. 19, 2026
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    Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
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    AI, battery-powered trains, transit funding among the highlights of APTA Transform 2026

    Mayors, transit leaders and other industry participants showcased new strategies and products at the Chicago conference as the U.S. faces a challenging public transit environment.

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    Julie Strupp/Smart Cities Dive
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    3 notable office-to-residential conversions in DC

    Washington is seeing a boom in adaptive reuse downtown, but for a conversion to be successful, “You need the good fundamentals. You need a good location,” National Real Estate Development’s Peter Epstein said.

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    The image by Erich Fabricius is licensed under CC BY 3.0
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    North Carolina passenger rail line to get $550M from US DOT

    The project will relieve train congestion and allow North Carolina and Virginia to schedule more frequent passenger trains, according to the North Carolina transportation department.

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    Q&A

    What it takes to become a climate haven

    An emerging framework helps local leaders assess their climate advantages, shore up vulnerabilities and prepare for population growth. One of its creators explains how it works.

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    The Municipal Cost Index

    For insights into how inflation is affecting the cost of providing municipal services, see the Municipal Cost Index's latest data from September.

    Updated Oct. 16, 2026
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    Landfill methane threatens planned storm sewer, Harris County, Texas, lawsuit alleges

    Excessive methane emissions and contaminated soil and water could threaten public safety, according to the lawsuit seeking closure and permanent capping of Hawthorn Park Landfill.

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    Confidence in public-sector AI adoption may be outpacing control, survey finds

    Less than 20% of state and local government information technology professionals say they have a formal AI governance framework in place, a UserEvidence survey found.

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    Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
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    AI, rider communications and accessibility innovations showcased at Chicago APTA Expo

    One rail car company plans to launch an innovation hub in the U.S., it announced at the event.

    Updated Oct. 19, 2026
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    Nic Antaya via Getty Images
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    DOT proposal tying grants to birth, marriage rates could disrupt projects, senator says

    The change could affect transit project funding and trigger new reviews and requirements. Sen. Patty Murray called it "bizarre and dystopian."

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    Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
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    Battery-powered trains coming to Chicago: a first look

    Commuter rail systems like Chicago's Metra are exploring battery-electric trains to increase service while reducing diesel exhaust pollution and noise.

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    These cities rely less on property taxes to fund city services

    Smaller cities should emulate larger cities’ more diversified approach to design fairer tax systems, the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy says.

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    Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    HUD’s biggest changes in 2026 to date

    The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is seeking to “lead a renaissance of housing revitalization,” Secretary Scott Turner said. Here are the steps it's taken this year.

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    Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
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    3 transit leaders explain how they fund major projects

    Chicago, New York and Seattle transit leaders outlined their solutions to revenue shortfalls, legal challenges and inflationary pressures at an American Public Transportation Association conference.

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    Permission granted by SFPUC
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    Water reuse at the building level could help cities close the infrastructure gap

    San Francisco’s water reuse ordinance offers a model for cities looking to stretch supplies, lower infrastructure costs and take advantage of public-private partnerships.

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    Integration plays key role in curbside organics programs, report finds

    Local governments should take a holistic approach to drive participation and cost efficiency, the Natural Resources Defense Council found.

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    Dan Zukowski/Smart Cities Dive
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    3 Sun Belt mayors seek more public transportation as their cities grow

    Voters who once turned down funding for public transportation now see the need as their cities' populations grow and residents gravitate to downtowns, panelists at an American Public Transportation Association conference said.

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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    FEMA violating court order on $1B in public safety grants, states’ lawsuit says

    The states are seeking enforcement of a permanent injunction that bars the agency from conditioning emergency management and counterterrorism funds on federal immigration cooperation.

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    Bipartisan housing agenda links federal support to local building rules

    The Build America Caucus proposes 60 policy measures to accelerate development, including “right-to-build zones” and faster federal multifamily lending.

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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    $2.2B in FEMA disaster mitigation grants in limbo, GAO says

    More than 700 Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities grants are unresolved. The delays threaten to drive up costs and strain local governments, a Government Accountability Office official says.

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    HUD manufactured housing plan aims to spur production

    The 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act ushers in significant changes to how the affordable housing type can be built and opens a path to a “repeatable multifamily construction” framework.