Government / Politics

Report Highlights Key Role of Cities in Stemming Evictions
The National League of Cities outlines strategies that city leaders can implement at the local level to prevent evictions and increase housing affordability.

Louisiana City Halts Multi-Family Housing Construction Due to Infrastructure Concerns
The Hammond City Council has paused multi-family development approvals while it studies ways to improve the city's infrastructure.

Top Republicans Encourage Governors to Ignore FHWA Guidance
Senators McConnell and Capito reject the administration's efforts to steer federal funds to infrastructure projects that prioritize road maintenance and transit and pedestrian improvements over new road construction.

The Kids Are Alright: Montana Youth Lead Climate Trial Effort
A group of teens is taking on the state of Montana, claiming that the state's continued dependence on fossil fuels infringes on their constitutional rights.

Urban Villages for the Proletariat
Compact, walkable urban villages benefit working families and organized labor by creating jobs, improving household affordability, reducing commute duration, improving economic opportunities, and creating cleaner, healthier communities.

Challenges to Electrifying City Fleets
Shifting municipal fleets to electric vehicles poses some challenges, but cities can take steps today to prepare for an easier transition to an electric future.

COVID Deaths: U.S. in a League of its Own
An analysis by The New York Times compares current and cumulative COVID deaths in the U.S. to other large, wealthy countries. Data analyzed include vaccination, age and obesity levels, and public trust, all factors that influence outcomes.

Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway: Governor Rejects San Antonio's Redevelopment Plan
After Texas relinquished control of state highways to cities in an effort to save money on maintenance costs, San Antonio planned an ambitious makeover of Broadway to accommodate pedestrian and bike improvements. The state won't approve it.

California Court Upholds Density Bonus Law
In a rebuff to proponents of local control, a California state appeals court upheld a 1979 law that allows developers to bypass local zoning regulations when including affordable housing in their projects.

The Problem With Miami Beach's High-Rises
Last year's Miami Beach condo collapse could portend more tragedy to come if developers don't address the risks of aging buildings and climate change.

How Policymakers Are Grappling With the Racist Legacy of Urban Freeways
In Michigan, the state's Department of Transportation is looking for ways to mitigate the damage caused by decades of urban renewal policies and reconnect neighborhoods cut off from amenities and opportunities by highway projects.

How Dealership Laws Hinder EV Sales
Laws designed to protect car dealers against price competition from car manufacturers are, in many states, preventing electric car makers from selling directly to consumers.

Chicago Traffic Cameras Issue Most Tickets to Black and Latino Drivers
The city's controversial traffic camera program tickets Black and Latino motorists more than white drivers. Infrastructure may play a role in why.

Tim Keane, Atlanta Planning Commissioner, Headed to a New City
Tim Keane, who has led the Atlanta Department of City Planning since 2015, is set to take a new job in a new city.

A Toxic Legacy in an Orange County Neighborhood
The contaminated soil and neglected infrastructure in Santa Ana's Barrio Logan community are a result of decades of land use decisions and willful disinvestment, one journalist writes.

Arlington County Authorizes Speed Cameras
The Arlington County board approved a program that will install traffic cameras in an effort to protect pedestrians and reduce police interactions.

COVID Zero: The High Price of Containment
Vision Zero: a strategy to eliminate road crashes, particularly those with fatal outcomes. COVID Zero: a strategy to end coronavirus transmission. Only one has worked—but at a steep price.

Zoning Reform: Lessons From New Zealand
The island nation is mandating mid-density zoning requirements and transit-oriented development in an effort to increase housing affordability and encourage compact development.

Oregon Youth Activists Protest Highway Expansion
A group of young climate activists are demanding an end to traffic-inducing road expansion projects and a renewed commitment to sustainable, transit-oriented transportation.

More Evidence Upzoning Alone Won't Boost Housing
Experts caution that to encourage significant new housing production, other zoning reforms that reduce costs and streamline permitting should accompany increased density requirements.
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