Smart cities 'doomed from the start' without better broadband

At the Colorado Smart Cities Symposium, Rep. Diana DeGette, D-CO, urged cities to boost spending around access or risk falling behind.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 22, 2019

Twin Cities cuts overnight rail service, displacing homeless

The action has sparked a familiar debate: What can be done about people experiencing homelessness who use trains for shelter?  

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 21, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 5 stories from Smart Cities Dive

From worsening climate change to a shifting transportation landscape and the housing affordability crisis, cities have their work cut out for them.

By Smart Cities Dive staff

Texas officials 'unaware' of any ransom payments after widespread attack

More than half of the 23 organizations impacted are "back to operations as usual" after the August attack, according to the Texas Department of Information Resources. 

By Samantha Schwartz • Updated Sept. 9, 2019

Mississippi's largest city ends recycling

After trying for months, Jackson officials found a way out of their curbside agreement. Questions remain about how it happened — and what comes next.

By Cole Rosengren • Aug. 20, 2019

Study: Breathing dirty air is like smoking a pack a day

Although emissions of air pollutants have dropped in recent decades, recent EPA data shows that air quality has actually declined in many cities. 

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 16, 2019

How 'green' concrete can help cities fight climate change

The built environment produces over 40% of global CO2 emissions. U.S. mayors are taking the lead to cut emissions with CO2 mineralized concrete.

By Cailin Crowe • Aug. 15, 2019

Multifunctional city parks can aid residents during earthquake recovery, study says

Researchers at a university in Canada explored how cities can use open spaces as community resource hubs after natural disasters.

By Kira Barrett • Aug. 14, 2019

Seattle City Council passes resolution advancing Green New Deal

Council members' decision, which lays out climate-friendly development strategies, was met with a standing ovation from spectators.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 14, 2019

New Orleans passes restrictions on short-term housing rentals

Short-term rentals through Airbnb, Homeaway and other companies will be banned in two of the city's most popular tourist zones and restricted elsewhere. 

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 13, 2019

100 experts issue dire warning about urban sprawl's impact on climate change

The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned cities to quickly change how they use land and water resources.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 13, 2019

Appeals court ruling undercuts FCC's plan for speedy 5G rollout

A three-judge panel in the U.S. Court of Appeals’ D.C. Circuit said it cannot bypass historical and environmental reviews of small cell sites.

By Chris Teale • Aug. 12, 2019

Austin, TX City Council declares 'climate emergency'

The ordinance calls for immediate action, requiring the city council to track accountability and reporting structure goals. 

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 12, 2019

Los Angeles County passes ambitious climate plan

The OurCounty plan calls for eliminating fossil fuel production, increasing the sourcing of water locally and engaging disadvantaged communities in decision-making.

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 8, 2019

Fighting extreme heat in cities with urban design

To adapt to climate change, we need to build cities like we did in the past – moving toward a climate-responsive urban design, centered on people.

By Adam Freed and Jacob Koch • Aug. 8, 2019

San Diego tops list of cities that offer best work-life balance

Work-life balance is a stated top priority for job seekers and employees, but some cities are better at meeting those expectations than others.

By Riia O'Donnell • Aug. 7, 2019

Going green with Los Angeles' first city forest officer

In the newly created position, Rachel Malarich will help plant 90,000 trees across the city and unify the departments handling the urban canopy.

By Katie Pyzyk • Aug. 6, 2019

Group to leverage AI, supercomputers for smart city planning

A team out of the Global City Teams Challenge will use advanced technology to trial scenarios around some of the biggest urban issues.

By Chris Teale • Aug. 6, 2019

Alexandria, VA joins growing list of dementia-friendly cities

More than 200 cities nationwide are planning dementia-friendly action strategies to help growing aging populations, which involve a combination of communications training and infrastructure development. 

By Kira Barrett • Aug. 5, 2019

Study: E-scooters more harmful to environment than e-bikes, some buses

A report from NC State University urges scooter companies to make their vehicles out of more durable materials, and to use energy-efficient vans when distributing scooters.

By Chris Teale • Aug. 5, 2019

Miami community shares concerns on rising sea level, environmental injustice

Residents voiced two major themes: a desire for education about climate impacts and the role citizens can play, and "an interest in integrated solutions that aren’t just gray infrastructure."

By Jason Plautz • Aug. 1, 2019

Austin, TX pilot helps musicians receive digital tips

The city's Music & Entertainment Division launched the program to help musicians combat rising costs of living as cash transactions are on the decline.

By Katie Pyzyk • July 31, 2019

ACEEE scorecard: Few US cities on track to meet climate goals

Cities took on more than 265 climate initiatives in 2018 but most aren't adequately tracking their progress, and nearly 35% of cities have not set GHG reduction targets. 

By Katie Pyzyk • July 26, 2019

NYC moves to collect retail vacancy data

The city is losing storefronts of all stripes as rents spike, leaving a blighted cityscape despite the economic boom.

By Daphne Howland • July 25, 2019

How can cities consider mental health in green space planning?

A new paper offers a framework for cities to incorporate and measure mental health benefits from parks, tree plantings and other public spaces. 

By Jason Plautz • July 25, 2019

London named world's first National Park City

The movement is intended to improve urban areas by making them "park-like" with more green space, improving citizens' health and well-being. 

By Katie Pyzyk • July 23, 2019