The Latest

  • Many people seated in a large room with a podium and large TV screen.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Heather Minor
    Image attribution tooltip

    How AI is helping municipal clerks speed up public records reporting

    In Long View, North Carolina, AI-powered “clerkware” has reduced transcription time from hours to minutes, reduced errors and improved public access to meeting minutes, the town clerk says.

  • Rusted wheel on rusted pipe with water surrounding it.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Aging infrastructure, climate risks shake water sector confidence: report

    Century-old systems, extreme weather, cyberthreats and regulatory inconsistencies threaten future water supply and resilience, the American Water Works Association found.

    Updated May 14, 2026
  • A 2-car tram under an electric wire on a street with buildings behind it.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Alexander Farnsworth via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Maryland enacts oversight boards for transit and commuter services

    The state’s six-year, $22.1 billion transportation plan includes completion of a light rail line connecting two counties bordering Washington, D.C.

  • A skyshot of Boston across a dusky view with a river through the left side of the photo.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    3 cities making strides in housing affordability

    Ivory Innovations recognized a housing finance program in Boston and housing policies in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and New Rochelle, New York, for their ingenuity.

  • Two men wearing safety vests and another man inspect an electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft with a large building and a passenger aircraft in the distance.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Archer, Joby expect to begin commercial air taxi flights in US cities this year

    “The goal is to have half a million people in the biggest cities in the country start to see these aircraft as part of your everyday commute,” Archer Aviation’s CEO said.

  • A man wearing a suit sits on a chair with a microphone.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Noam Galai via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    These 12 cities are leading on environmental health, African American Mayors Association says

    AAMA and the Community Data Health Initiative are highlighting municipalities using data, partnerships and targeted infrastructure strategies to address heat, pollution and lead risks.

  • HUD BNPL buy now pay later lending mortgages housing consumer credit
    Image attribution tooltip
    Kent Nishimura via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    HUD trims environmental reviews for multifamily projects

    Streamlined standards could help ease affordability pressures nationwide, federal officials and housing industry leaders say.

  • High angle view of illuminated city against sky at sunset.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Illinois cities push back on state proposal to bypass local zoning

    After Gov. JB Pritzker proposed sweeping statewide housing measures, municipal groups say they’re expanding housing options on their own terms.

  • A person whispers into the ear of another person wearing a suit and speaking into several microphones, surrounded by many people.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    DOJ targets ‘sanctuary’ rules in Albuquerque, New Mexico

    Albuquerque, New Mexico, joins a growing list of cities facing federal lawsuits over immigration enforcement policies. “We are ready to defend our community,” the city’s mayor said.

  • A white vehicle outfitted with many sensors stopped at a curb in with people and buildings in the background.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Dan Zukowski
    Image attribution tooltip
    Tracker

    Robotaxis: The latest developments

    Uber expects to have robotaxis in 15 U.S. cities by year’s end, relying on partnerships with multiple companies.

    Updated May 11, 2026
  • A person with white hair wearing black shirt and pants and a black mask talks to a person with blonde hair.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Octavio Jones via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    FEMA Review Council pushes disaster responsibility to cities, states

    The council’s final report recommends streamlining aid programs, accelerating funding delivery and giving local governments greater operational and financial obligation for emergency management.

  • A blurred photo of a teenage student in glasses learning computer science while using a computer in a classroom.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Public-sector AI translation has saved taxpayers more than $30 million, Wordly says

    In San José, California, translation costs have dropped by nearly 80% and resident participation at public meetings has increased since the city began using the service, a city clerk said.

  • View of an alley in Providence, Rhode Island, with dumpsters
    Image attribution tooltip
    Cole Rosengren/Smart Cities Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    Providence, Rhode Island, updates recycling, organics with $3.6M in grants

    Free commercial recycling service, residential recycling carts and organics infrastructure are among the changes the city has made with the help of EPA and USDA funding.

  • Three worn tents on a city sidewalk
    Image attribution tooltip
    Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    HUD continues shift away from ‘housing first,’ harm reduction in homelessness funding

    Transitional housing, childcare, job training and addiction treatment are priorities for its Continuum of Care funding opportunity to be published June 1.

  • An aerial view of different sized buildings intermixed with roads and trees
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    ‘Supplemental’ municipal utility begins solar-and-storage installations in Ann Arbor, Michigan

    The Ann Arbor Sustainable Energy Utility will use locally sited solar, batteries and other resources to improve reliability and lower costs for subscribers, city officials say.

  • Looking at an empty construction site through a chain-link fence.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Spencer Platt via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Opinion

    Governments should help finance infrastructure — not construct and run it

    When delays and cost escalations carry no financial consequence, they become routine. To prevent this, project governance structures must align capital with performance.

  • Several construction vehicles on an unpaved section of a highway with cars passing on the adjacent pavement.
    Image attribution tooltip
    krblokhin via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Surface transportation legislation in 2026: What we know so far

    Congress has begun work that will determine the next five years of funding and policies for highways, mass transit and other transportation modes.

  • A person wearing a suit speaks into a microphone.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    DOJ sues Minnesota to block climate lawsuit against oil companies

    Only the federal government can regulate greenhouse gas emissions, the suit argues, escalating a legal fight over whether state and local governments can pursue damages tied to climate change.

  • Procurement icons related to logistics, supply chain, and inventory management float above hands typing on a laptop.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    AI procurement tool evaluates local government contract solicitations before they’re sent

    More than 60% of public agencies receive an average of only two to five bids per solicitation, according to Euna Solutions. Its AI Solicitation Advisor aims to help bolster those numbers.

  • Four people standing together outdoors facing the camera, two with hard hats and three with NYC environmental protection logos on their tops. Behind them are workers in hard hats and safety vests.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Jean Schwarzwalder/NYC Environmental Protection
    Image attribution tooltip

    Meet the 2026 Smart Cities Dive Public Service Award winners

    Read about the local government leaders in Florida, New York and Texas being honored for how they’re driving local impact.

  • The words ddos attack are spelled out in red on a computer screen amid random blue text.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    State CISOs are losing confidence in their ability to secure public-sector data, study finds

    Third-party security breaches, phishing and AI-enabled attacks are where they anticipate the largest cyberthreat risk in the coming year, a NASCIO-Deloitte survey found.

  • A person with blonde hair and glasses wearing a red dress surrounded by palm trees.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    7 ways cities are hardwiring climate action

    Embedding climate into procurement, zoning and infrastructure decisions while reframing it as a quality-of-life issue is unlocking support for resilience in Cleveland, Miami and Boise, Idaho.

  • A soccer ball and bronze "2026" lettering in front of an American flag.
    Image attribution tooltip
    CrailsheimStudio via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    How cities and transit agencies are preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup

    An influx of out-of-town and international visitors creates challenges to keeping transit systems and roadways running smoothly.

  • Tulsa skyline with a park, pond, and fountains in the foreground.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Affordable housing development is boosting Oklahoma’s economy: report

    Every dollar in tax credit equity across 45 multifamily housing projects is yielding higher economic returns in the state, an Urban Institute study found.

  • Person wearing mask sitting in chair with toddler in lap receives a shot from a person wearing mask and medical gown.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mario Tama via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Opinion

    Public buildings can power community resilience

    Sustainability strategies are also the foundation of resilient design, which prepares public buildings to serve as lifelines when disaster strikes.