The National League of Cities has released its annual report aggregating the "State of the City" speeches from over 100 U.S. mayors, revealing the ambitions and concerns of the nation's local leadership.

Kelsey E. Thomas shares news of the latest release of the National League of Cities' annual report on 120 state of the cities speeches delivered in 2017.
From its analysis, the report finds one "abundantly clear" takeaway: "Mayors are taking a bigger lead on poverty, racial disparities and other social issues than ever before, and tackling projects such as after-school programs, paid leave, minimum wage and immigration."
There are several obstacles standing in the way of this new trend in mayoral agenda setting: namely the proposed federal cuts to social safety nets and efforts in some states to preempt local control.
Tracking mayoral sentiments on ten major issues, the report identifies slight shifts in priorities compared to 2016 speeches. According to Thomas there were a few important changes from previous years,
…including healthcare’s jump from the 10th concern to the eighth — potentially fueled by talks of repealing the Affordable Care Act, which inspired 60 mayors to warn Congress about possible negative impacts. Infrastructure and housing also moved slightly up in mentions, while budgets and education moved slightly down. Economic development remained the top issue, as it has since 2014.
The article also includes infographics from the report that help illustrate some of the report's biggest takeaways. Planetizen shared news of the annual report previously in 2016 and 2015.
FULL STORY: What 120 U.S. Mayors Say About the “State of the City”

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

San Francisco Suspends Traffic Calming Amidst Record Deaths
Citing “a challenging fiscal landscape,” the city will cease the program on the heels of 42 traffic deaths, including 24 pedestrians.

Adaptive Reuse Will Create Housing in a Suburban Texas Strip Mall
A developer is reimagining a strip mall property as a mixed-use complex with housing and retail.

Study: Anti-Homelessness Laws Don’t Work
Research shows that punitive measures that criminalized unhoused people don’t help reduce homelessness.

In U.S., Urban Gondolas Face Uphill Battle
Cities in Latin America and Europe have embraced aerial transitways — AKA gondolas — as sustainable, convenient urban transport, especially in tricky geographies. American cities have yet to catch up.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Heyer Gruel & Associates PA
JM Goldson LLC
Custer County Colorado
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
Jefferson Parish Government
Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Claremont