Government / Politics

Census 2020 Ready for Launch
In parts of Alaska, it's easier to start the Census count in January, when the ground is frozen. They'll get a head start in January.

East Coast Considers Plan to Hike Gas Prices to Mitigate Climate Change
Will a dozen East Coast states and D.C. agree to a regional plan that would likely hike gas prices through a "cap-and-invest" program to mitigate tailpipe emissions similar to what California has done for the last five years?

Lowering the Barrier to Make Public Land Available for Affordable Housing
Municipalities can help fill in a crucial piece of the affordable housing puzzle by making public land accessible for development.

The Flip Side of Single-Family Housing
Much of the debate about housing shortages and rising housing costs focuses on single-family housing as the main culprit. But could it also be part of the solution?

What Free Transit Means to Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri will be the largest U.S. city to operate a fare-free system that officials say will make transit more accessible.

Washington State to Transition to Battery Electric Ferries
Washington's largest diesel emissions polluter will transition its fleet to diesel-hybrids and then to battery-electric propulsion to comply with Gov. Inslee's emissions-reduction executive order which will also please the orcas in Puget Sound.

Phoenix, No Longer an Affordable Housing Haven
Fast-rising rents in Phoenix mean housing costs are out of reach for more residents, and the city is no longer considered a place where affordable housing is easy to find.

Chicago Planning Commissioner Focuses on Disinvested Neighborhoods
A new initiative seeks to bring investment dollars to Chicago communities that for decades have suffered from the loss of wealth and population.

'Extremely Blighted' Designation Spurs Investment in Nebraska Cities
Neighborhoods in Nebraska, located in areas already deemed blighted, will receive priority funding and homebuyer tax credits from the state.

San Diego Smart City Sensors Causing Controversy
Thousands of streetlight sensors are collecting a trove of data—from traffic counts to humidity levels—and advocacy groups say the city needs to be more transparent about how the data is being used and who has access to it.

Opinion: When New Growth Is Really a 'Giant Ponzi Scheme'
Development that depends on subsidies is not fostering true growth and instead is a financial house of cards.

The End of the Mall? Navigating the Shifting Retail Landscape
More online shopping means fewer consumers are spending money at brick-and-mortar stores, with suburban malls hit especially hard. But municipalities are looking for creative strategies to navigate a post-mall world.

95 Environmental Regulations Threatened by the Trump Administration
New York Times analysis quantifies the environmental regulations at risk under the actions of the Trump administration.

Wisconsin Town Could Lift Ban on Throwing Snowballs
Since 1962, throwing a snowball in Wausau, Wisconsin could have gotten you a ticket.

On Progressive Impotence and an Obsolete Penn Station
In a deep dive into the sad state of the nation's busiest transit hub, Marc J. Dunkelman raises a dispiriting question. In their zeal to ward off future Robert Moseses, have progressives crippled government's power to carry out its job?
Green Hydrogen, Plus Storage, Key to Los Angeles' Plan for Carbon-Free Electricity
The Los Angeles municipal utility will convert a Utah coal power plant to run on natural gas in 2025. According to a proposal unveiled Dec. 10, the plant will incrementally be converted to run entirely on hydrogen, a zero-emission fuel, by 2045.

Preserving Affordable Housing Along Maryland Light Rail Line
A new plan lays out strategies to keep housing affordable for low- and moderate-income residents along the corridor of Maryland’s new Purple Line.

Cities Still Absent From Presidential Campaign Politics
Last night's Democratic candidate debate was held in the nation's second largest city, but like previous debates, it left urban issues largely unaddressed.

Arizona Environmental Agency Cutbacks Significant, Says Report
A new report says funding and staffing cuts at the state’s environmental protection agency could prevent it from adequately protecting public health and the environment.

Seattle Regional Homelessness Authority Plan Moves Forward, but Faces Controversy
A proposal for a regional entity to oversee homeless services in King County is running into jurisdictional conflicts.
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