Cities tap TikTok to squash Gen Z's COVID-19 misconceptions

Some local governments are threading critical information into entertaining videos to capture the attention of young social media users.

By Kristin Musulin • April 2, 2020

Former NOLA mayor: Cities are 'out of sync' in COVID-19 response

During a Wednesday webinar, former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu warned of a "very dark couple of months" ahead but said cities can, and will, recover.

By Chris Teale • April 2, 2020

Counting homeless groups is difficult. COVID-19 will make it 'immeasurably worse.'

The outbreak of COVID-19 is predicted to disproportionately affect people experiencing homelessness and could keep those groups away from service areas, where much of the census count is conducted.

By Cailin Crowe • April 1, 2020

Only 4% of mid-sized cities have fully digitized services: report

CityGrows analyzed key services in 822 U.S. communities to find only eight have fully digitized their services. The data suggests challenges ahead as COVID-19 forces more government services online.

By Kristin Musulin • April 1, 2020

How coronavirus is disrupting the 2020 census count

The U.S. Census Bureau has adjusted its operational schedule, but is still pushing forward with the count. "The current situation underscores the need for census data," one official said.

By Chris Teale • March 31, 2020

NACTO resource hub tracks COVID-19's impact on transportation

The association partnered with Bloomberg Philanthropies to offer real-time information on the transportation strategies cities are deploying to adapt to coronavirus.

By Chris Teale • March 31, 2020

Cities' shortage of COVID-19 supplies reaches 'crisis proportions'

A survey from the U.S. Conference of Mayors found 92% of cities don't have enough face masks for first responders or an adequate supply of test kits.

By Cailin Crowe • March 30, 2020

Transit gets $25B in federal stimulus package

President Trump signed the $2 trillion CARES Act Friday, pledging to help agencies make up for lost revenue and fund daily operations amid the coronavirus.

By Chris Teale • March 30, 2020

Cities face 'long road' to economic recovery after coronavirus

Infection rates must lower through social distancing and other policies before city leaders think about returning to normalcy, speakers said on a Thursday webinar.

By Chris Teale • March 27, 2020

5 cities most vulnerable to COVID-19: report

New research from Clever Real Estate ranked 107 cities based on financial, social, economic and health vulnerabilities to COVID-19. 

By Cailin Crowe • March 27, 2020

Cities have passed hundreds of coronavirus policies — and Americans are showing support

NLC co-launched a tracker detailing hundreds of local policy actions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. A subsequent survey showed more Americans support these efforts than federal-level actions.

By Kristin Musulin • March 26, 2020

Uber sues LADOT over data-sharing requirements

The company said the Mobility Data Specification violates state and federal laws and is a form of surveillance that gathers personal details. LADOT has not yet responded.

By Chris Teale • March 26, 2020

Cities 'woefully unprepared' for coronavirus response: report

Investments in urban resilience and new tech will be key as cities work to recover from COVID-19 while grappling with climate threats and other risks, according to ABI Research. 

By Chris Teale • March 25, 2020

$11.5B required to care for homeless during COVID-19: report

People experiencing homelessness are twice as likely to require hospitalization and three times as likely to die during the pandemic, according to a group of university researchers.

By Cailin Crowe • March 25, 2020

The US didn't sign a global road safety pact. Now advocates are fighting back

A recent road safety conference in Stockholm seemingly lacked representation from the U.S. federal government. Young advocates were left wondering who is taking charge in eliminating road deaths.

By Chris Teale • March 24, 2020

Cities go digital to survive the new normal

During a recent webinar, leaders highlighted how online municipal services and platforms will be key amid the spread of COVID-19, particularly to eliminate the "barriers of communication" with residents.

By Chris Teale • March 23, 2020

UrbanLeague provides free COVID-19 portals for CIOs, city managers

The platform enables city leaders to access resources such as playbooks and guidelines, and enter "live chats" to address pressing coronavirus questions.

By Kristin Musulin • March 20, 2020

Using P3s for coronavirus response

We must do our part to drive cooperation between the public and private sectors, and rethink the definition of resiliency given our newfound understanding for what is at risk.

By Ryan Martin • March 20, 2020

Smart Cities Council releases COVID-19 mitigation tool

The "Activator - COVID-19 Mitigation Roadmap" can help city leaders visualize their coronavirus response plan and collaborate remotely.

By Cailin Crowe • March 19, 2020

Census Bureau to resume field operations this week

All returning field staff will go through safety training and wear personal protective equipment (PPE) before resuming operations.

By Kristin Musulin • Updated May 5, 2020

Transportation-based Green New Deal seeks extra $37B in federal investment

The Deal would assist transit agencies in facing the dual threats of GHG emissions and COVID-19, which could have a "lasting impact of years" on transit, said Emily Mangan of Transportation for America.

By Chris Teale • March 18, 2020

Bloomberg Philanthropies unveils $40M global initiative for COVID-19 response

This latest program is designed to help low- and middle-income countries around the world grapple with the associated impacts and costs of coronavirus.

By Chris Teale • March 17, 2020

Social media can help city leaders understand COVID-19 concerns

Zencity analyzed over 1.5 million online interactions regarding COVID-19 to find school closures, event cancellations and public transport dominate conversations. 

By Cailin Crowe • March 17, 2020

New York City Council pushes efforts to reach 'zero waste'

A new agenda calls for the expansion of curbside residential organics collection citywide along with more than a dozen other policies.

By Cole Rosengren • March 16, 2020

Civic group calls on Congress to rethink $305B transport bill

The Metropolitan Civic Leadership Alliance said the FAST Act reauthorization should include more forward-looking transportation policies and innovation.

By Cailin Crowe • March 13, 2020