United States

States Have Mixed Feelings on Speed Cameras
While some states and cities are embracing automated traffic enforcement as a tool for improving road safety, others are banning the technology over concerns that the programs are designed for profit rather than public benefit.

HUD Cuts Could Derail Mortgage Underwriting Agency
Staffing cuts at the Federal Housing Administration could imperil affordable housing projects and mortgage programs for new homeowners.

NHTSA Cuts Could Make Roads More Dangerous
The agency is losing almost half of the team that oversees autonomous vehicle safety, among dozens of other key personnel.

Permanent Supportive Housing Providers Face Steep Insurance Hikes
High insurance costs are calling some organizations’ future into question as supportive housing providers struggle to meet their expenses.

Has Progress on Travel Safety Run Off the Road?
Changing technology and rebuilding infrastructure to improve road safety are long-term strategies. How can enforcement and interventions that influence driver behavior make a difference in reducing traffic deaths sooner?

FEMA Suspends Flood Rebuilding Standard
The rule was designed to prevent the rebuilding of government-funded projects in areas prone to repeated floods.

Federal Funding Cuts Spark Concern Among Wildland Firefighters
Federal firefighting forces, already underresourced, are being slashed even as wildfires become a year-round problem.

Public Libraries May Be More Relevant Than Ever
Libraries around the country are expanding their services in an effort to become ‘third spaces’ for the community.

Rents Rose Between December and January
After dropping to a three-year low, U.S. rent costs grew in many major cities.

National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.

Traditional Retail is Hanging by a Thread. What Now for Cities?
After Kaid Benfield paints a rather grim retail outlook — where even retail bastions like San Diego are going dark — he suggests a series of actions for city leaders and planners.

Urban Forestry as a Pathway to Equity and Opportunity
Urban forestry job training programs are creating economic opportunities for underrepresented individuals while addressing workforce shortages and advancing tree equity in communities most impacted by environmental disparities.

Neurodivergence and the City
Researchers are starting to understand how people with conditions like autism experience cities differently — and how to design for the neurodiverse brain.

Why Accuracy in Homelessness Data Matters
Cities have access to tools that can more effectively capture information about unhoused residents and pinpoint what types of resources are needed and where.

Intercity Bus Ridership Grows Despite Service Cuts
Passengers continue to rely on intercity bus lines, even as cities shutter bus terminals and bus companies restructure to avoid financial failure.

BLM Approves Controversial Oil and Gas Leases on Navajo Land
The parcels are located near a sensitive archaeological site, but some Indigenous leaders approve of the move, which will bring in millions in revenue.

Rural Homelessness Could Be Vastly Underestimated, Study Finds
The annual ‘point in time’ count fails to capture the diverse types of situations experienced by unhoused people in rural communities.

What’s in a Name? Investors vs. Speculators
We don’t often make a clear distinction between investors and speculators, which makes it harder to identify harmful behavior — and to find solutions for it.

Building Secure Yet Welcoming Public Spaces
Strategies for securing public spaces from vehicle attacks and other acts of terrorism without sacrificing accessible, vibrant urban places.

Over 71K Office-to-Apartment Units in the Pipeline for 2025
Adaptive reuse projects are continuing to bring thousands of new housing units onto the market as demand for office space remains low.
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