The National League of Cities (NLC) has published an analysis of mayoral speeches from various U.S. cities, along with Census data and resident sentiments, in the latest edition of the annual “State of the Cities” report.

Despite historic investments by the federal government in recent years, U.S. mayors say they are most concerned about infrastructure in their cities. Public safety and housing, topics that dominate the headlines, bring up the rear on the list.
The “State of the Cities 2023” report lists the concerns of mayors in this order: 1) Infrastructure, 2) budget and management, 3) public safety, 4) economic development, and 5) housing.
The NLC reports that mayors consider infrastructure a top concern for the economic and social wellbeing of residents, and due to the encroaching realities of climate change. No explanation is offered about why housing is at the end of the list of priorities, given its ever-present concern related to homelessness, evictions, and institutional investors buying up larger shares of the market.
The entire report is available at the webpage linked below.
FULL STORY: State of the Cities 2023

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