Flagship nlc Reports
Municipal Infrastructure Conditions Report 2026
Communities across the country depend on reliable infrastructure to ensure public safety, economic opportunity and quality of life. Over the past several…
City Fiscal Conditions 2025
The National League of Cities’ 40th annual City Fiscal Conditions report offers a comprehensive snapshot of the financial health of…
State of the Cities 2025
In the dynamic realm of local governance, the State of the Cities report captures local leaders’ collective vision and unwavering…
Featured resources: Advocating for strong federal-local partnerships
Featured resources: AI in Action
Featured resources: Housing
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How Oak Harbor, Wash. is Navigating Comprehensive Plan Updates with Small City Resources
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AI in Action Case Study: Rancho Cordova’s AI and Robotics Ecosystem
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AI in Action Case Study: Reorienting Permitting Around Resident Experience
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Arlington, TX: Using Creative Communications to Explain the Annual Budget
Cities in Action: Young Harris Financial Literacy Engagement
Cities in Action: Energizing the KC BizCare Small Business Support Ecosystem
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Topics
Zoning for Sea-Level Rise
Zoning for Solar: Common Barriers
- Kelly Aves
Zoning for Solar: Basic Principles
- Kelly Aves
Zoning for Solar: Large-Scale Solar
- Kelly Aves
Streamline Solar Permitting and Zoning with SolSmart
- Kelly Aves
Storytelling Scores Zoning Reforms in Tulsa
- CitiesSpeak Guest
The Relationship Between State Preemption of Inclusionary Zoning and Health
Advancing Housing Reform: Lessons from Chattanooga’s Voluntary Zoning Incentives Program
- CitiesSpeak Guest
How Toronto Gets Urban Housing and Zoning Right
Opportunity Zones: What Cities Should Know
New Report on Pedestrian Zones
From the Event: Opportunity Zones: What Cities Need to Know
Model Ordinance
Advancing Community Revitalization to Improve Health and Equity
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Minneapolis Upzones for Greater Density in Residential and Transit Areas
- James Brooks
NLC University Presents: Navigating Municipal Finance Opportunities
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Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability Policy
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Claremore, OK: Pattern Zone Development
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INTERACTIVE: Preemption Laws By State
Creating Compact, Walkable, and Mixed-Use Neighborhoods through Form-Based Codes
From the Event: Apply for the Cities of Opportunity Mayors’ Institute Today!
Fact Sheet Series: Understanding Data Centers
Traditional Neighborhood Development
Urban Agriculture: Best Practices & Possibilities
The Policy Compass in Roanoke, VA: Child Care as Workforce Strategy
City Ordinances Rooted in Racial Equity
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Guide: Mixed Income TOD Strategy Guide
Keeping the American Dream Alive
Local Tools to Address Housing Affordability: A State-by-State Analysis
Decarbonizing Delivery of Goods Municipal Action Guide
Creating Good, Green Jobs in the Building Sector, Part 1: Making the Case
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From the Event: Tackling the Housing Crisis with Policy & Technology
Future of Cities: Adapting to Changes in the Retail Landscape
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Memphis, TN: Missing Middle Housing
The Policy Compass in Tacoma, WA: Unlocking Workforce Access by Addressing Child Care
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Mixed Income TOD Strategy Guide
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From the Event: Apply for the 2023-2024 Cities of Opportunity Action Cohort Today!
Bring Electric Vehicle Charging to Your Community: Put Federal Funding & Private Partnerships to Work
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Lessons from the Cities of Opportunity Mayors Institute on Community Revitalization
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From the Event: Young Municipal Leaders Virtual Meeting
Housing Supply Accelerator Playbook
Future of Cities: Reenvisioning Retail for Recovery and Resilience
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City Council Decision Making to Address Racial Inequities & Repair Harm
The Local Authority Landscape: Trends in Select Issues from 2019-2022
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Buffalo, NY: Green Code: Unified Development Ordinance
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Fayetteville, AR: Pre-Approved Architectural Designs for Residential Development
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2025 U.S. Department of Commerce Local Government Priorities in the 100 days
Cities 101 — Annexation
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Atlanta’s Billion Dollar Commitment to Affordable Housing
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Housing Supply Accelerator Fact Sheet Series
Cities in Action: Energizing the KC BizCare Small Business Support Ecosystem
Rebuild: Reengaging Middle and High School Students
By:
- Audrey Hutchinson
- Andrew Moore
Cities 101 — Council Powers
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Executive Actions Fact Sheet: Ending Radical and Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing
Repository of City Racial Equity Policies and Decisions
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Executive Actions Fact Sheet: Initial Recissions of Harmful Executive Orders and Actions
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Executive Actions Fact Sheet: Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity
4 Takeaways from Proposed Opportunity Zone Regulations
Quiet Zones: How Communities Can Safely Reduce Train Noise
Pedestrian Zones Are Here to Stay
By:
- Julia Bauer
- Kyle Funk
- Patrick Rochford
5 Things City Leaders Should Know About Opportunity Zones
Examining the Role of Land Use and Regulations in Housing Development
- Stephanie Onuaja
Minneapolis Makes a Bold Move on Housing
Leveraging Planning Tools and Technology to Unlock Housing Production
- Stephanie Onuaja
Creating Housing Options in Under-Utilized Spaces in Sterling Heights
- CitiesSpeak Guest
How Affordable Housing Efforts Can Make Cities Healthier
Exploring the Impacts of Preemption
- Christiana McFarland
Getting Your Municipality Ready for Federal, Private Funds for EV Charging
By:
- Kelly Aves
- Kyle Funk
- James Brooks
Beyond Zoning, Part 1: How Memphis Partnered with a Small Developer for Big Changes
- CitiesSpeak Guest
What is Missing Middle Housing?
Data Centers Are Coming: Are You Prepared?
Navigating Preemption during COVID: Four Steps Cities Can Take to Increase Affordable Housing
How Petersburg, VA Became a Hotbed For Businesses
Five Ways to Encourage Solar Energy in Your Community
- Kelly Aves
How Municipalities Can Foster Sustainable, Affordable Housing
- Kelly Aves
4 Ways Cities Can Provide Business and Financial Supports to the Early Childhood Workforce
- Annika List
How Your City Can Boost Economic Mobility and Opportunity
CIE Spotlight: Supporting Economic Resilience for San Diego’s Informal Childcare Entrepreneurs
- Samantha Pedrosa
State Municipal Leagues Build Relationships with New Congress
What Local Leaders Need to Know About the Tax Package Passed by the House
By:
- Dante Moreno
- Michael Wallace
Keeping the American Dream Alive
Building an Early Learning Nation—One Neighborhood Block at a Time
Strategies to Advance Solar in Small, Rural Towns
- Kelly Aves
Top 10 Topics Mayors Are Buzzing About in 2019
Top 10 Most Popular Blog Posts From 2018
Helping Communities Understand the Data Center Boom
- Kelly Aves
Combatting A Nationwide Shortage of Affordable, Healthy Housing
In Indianapolis, Reviving a Sleepy Neighborhood
The Changing Landscape of Preemption
By:
- Christiana McFarland
- Julia Bauer
National Experts Join the Housing Supply Accelerator to Guide Meaningful Action
By:
- Lauren Lowery
- Michael Wallace
Calling All Cities: Free Electric Vehicle Charging Program Now Available
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Informal Tenancy and How Cities Can Step In
- Lauren Lowery
Reminding Washington That Cities Lead
Let’s Be Frank, Municipal Bonds Built This Country
Five Lessons from NLC’s First Housing Task Force Meeting
Five Things to Know About Congestion Pricing in NYC
Cities in the Spotlight During 2024 Political Conventions
- Angelina Panettieri
Need Transportation Help? Submit Your Interest for New Thriving Communities Program
- Brittney D. Kohler
Developing Affordable Housing Through Collaborative City-University Partnerships
- Stephanie Onuaja
Beyond Zoning, Part 2: How National Partners Impact Local Regulatory Reform
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Senate Moves Historic Housing Legislation Forward with 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act
- Michael Wallace
Preparing for Drones to Fly in Cities
Legal Considerations for Carbon Mitigation by Cities
Federal Funding for Resilient Affordable Housing
By:
- Peyton Siler Jones
- Ayesha Mehrotra
- Kelly Aves
Lessons from the White House Summit on Building Climate Resilient Communities
- Peyton Siler Jones
How Booming Salt Lake City Can Keep Housing Affordable
Building the Full Continuum: Lebanon NH’s Strategy for Housing Supply, Stability & Homelessness
- CitiesSpeak Guest
Federal Rail Crossing Grants Moving Across America
By:
- Brittney D. Kohler
- McKaia Dykema
- Kyle Funk
Rethinking Sidewalks and Streets in the Midst of COVID-19
Manufactured Housing: Making Homeownership Attainable
- Stephanie Onuaja
Cities Prepare for Air Taxis and Drones with NLC’s New Aviation Forum
- Brittney D. Kohler
Leveraging Urban Tree Canopies to Unlock Community Resilience
- Brigid Deegan
Understanding the Current Housing Finance Residential and Economic Outlook
- Stephanie Onuaja
Economic Opportunity and Financial Empowerment
- Heidi Goldberg
NLC Community and Economic Development Committee Meets With HUD
Addressing Utility & Small Business Needs in Frederick, MD
Expanded Support for Local Solar Energy Leadership through SolSmart Program
- Nick Kasza
In Washington, NLC Leaders Represent City Priorities
Senator George Voinovich on Public-Private Partnerships
Exploring Housing, Equity, and Historic Heritage Across America
5 Workforce Strategies to Increase Economic Opportunity
A Suburban Model for Successful Downtown Growth
Reversing the Residual Effects of Redlining
Does Your City Have Access to Inclusionary Housing?
FCC Wireless Siting Restrictions: What’s Next for Cities?
- Angelina Panettieri
How Online Meeting Management Can Help Cities
Reimagining City Services & Empowering Small Businesses in Kansas City, MO
Housing for Post-Secondary Students
Building Equitable Climate Resilience: Learnings from Policy and Systems Change Academy Convening
- Megan Greig
One Strategy to Reconnect Your Community in a “15-Minute” Design
By:
- Julia Glickman
- Kyle Funk
6 Things to Know About Rail to Help Your Community
Data Centers and Local Environmental Considerations
- Kelly Aves
Use AI to Transform City Operations
You Don’t Have to be a Big City to Build More Housing: Everett’s Housing Playbook for Mid-Sized and Small Cities
- CitiesSpeak Guest
NLC’s Top 10 2020 Predictions for Cities
An Inside Look at Equitable Economic Development in Nashville
How Local Leaders Can Tackle Housing Insurance Affordability Amid Climate Change
By:
- Ayesha Mehrotra
- Monica Gregory
- Brigid Deegan
Teamwork Delivers Affordable Homes Near Transit in Redmond
- CitiesSpeak Guest
What the Housing for the 21st Century and ROAD to Housing Acts Mean for Local Governments
- Michael Wallace
Three Ways Cities Are Creating Economic Opportunity by Decreasing Barriers to Workforce Success
By:
- Ayesha Mehrotra
- Kayla Anthony
“New Urbanism”: What Does it Mean to City Leaders?
City Leaders Will Fight the Cuts Because Cities Are Worth Fighting For
Follow NLC and LinkedIn on a Summer Road Trip
House Passage of the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act Threatens Cities
What Amazon’s HQ2 Shortlist Tells Us About Modern Cities
Supreme Court Analysis: What’s at Stake in NIFLA v. Becerra?
City Council Presidents from across America Convene in Chicago
200 Local Governments Recognized as Solar Leaders by SolSmart
In Dublin, California, an Affordable Housing Success Story
Seven Strategies for Data-Driven Economic Development
Sacramento, Clear Channel, Polaris Partner to Fight Human Trafficking
Austin Steps Up Efforts to Improve Access to High-Quality Child Care
How Vancouver, WA Built a City for All Generations
How Preemption is Expanding and Changing in 2019
New Autonomous Vehicle Grants Announced, Congress Contemplates Legislation
Three Strategies to Restore City Rights in an Era of Preemption
A Big Week for Federal Advocacy
Join the City Advisory Forum on Urban Air Mobility Before It Takes Off
- Wade Troxell
Partnership Makes our Cities Even Better
- Wade Troxell
Increasing Winter Road Safety and Decreasing Waterway Salinity Begin with Salt Brine
- James Brooks
States Increasingly Preempting Local Laws Governing Transgender Rights
- Julia Bauer
Unlocking Efficiency: Best Practices for Development Review Success
Equity and Economic Development Must Go Hand in Hand
Could Higher Productivity Growth Lead to More Affordable Housing?
How States and Cities Can Fight the Housing Crisis, Together
How Chief Equity Officers Helped Address Inequity During Two Pandemics
- Rita Soler Ossolinski
Five City Strategies to Accelerate Broadband Infrastructure Deployment
Can Columbus, Ohio Become a Model for Equitable Community Development?
NLC Elected a New President Today. Here’s What He Had to Say.
Deploying American Rescue Plan Funds for Climate-Resilient and Equitable Infrastructure Projects
Local Impacts from Congress’ One, Big, Beautiful Bill
By:
- Carolyn Berndt
- Stephanie Martinez-Ruckman
- Brittney D. Kohler
- Dante Moreno
- Yucel Ors
- Angelina Panettieri
- Michael Wallace
An Inside Look at Economic Development in Japan
Embedding Racial Equity in Housing
5 Ways Cities Led in Pandemic Recovery
- Lindsey Volz
Cultural Districts Achieve Citywide Goals: Highlighting the Transgender District
Five Things City Leaders Need to Know About COP27
- Peyton Siler Jones
How Grant Navigation Helps Revitalize Southern Communities
How Cities’ Infrastructure Projects Change Lives
- Brittney D. Kohler
NLC Announces 2017 SolSmart City Challenge
City Leaders – Here’s Why the Better Buildings Summit Should Be on Your Calendar
The House Health Care Plan: What City Leaders Need to Know
Supreme Court: Cities Can Proceed With Claims Against Banks for Discriminatory Lending
From Public to Private: Building Bridges at the NLC Capstone Leaders Forum
The Short-term Rental Market Is Booming. Here’s Why Cities Should Regulate It.
Five Things City Leaders Should Know About the Paris Withdrawal
Legislation Would Allow Tourists to Carry Concealed Weapons in Your City
Wildfires Are A Community Design Problem
Are Your Residents Within a 10-Minute Walk to a Park?
Cities Can Tackle Hunger and Food Waste Through Collaboration
In Toronto, Arts and Culture Take Center Stage
Privatization of Rest Stops Directly Competes with Cities’ Local Businesses
Three Ways the Cloud Helps Communities Grow and Thrive
Housing and Cities — A Deeper Look at the Numbers
Labor Day Essay: Aretha Franklin, John McCain, and the Embodiment of Respect
- Clarence E. Anthony
FCC Proposes Preemption, Fee Cap for Local Small Cell Deployment
Why Legacy Cities Matter for America’s Future
Saving Urban Trees
Solving Unsheltered Homelessness
Regreening Cities: Strategies to Build Resilience and Community
