Governing: State and local government news and analysis
A new analysis from the Urban Institute finds only 10 percent of American homes are located within half a mile of frequent public transit service, with significant variation from place to place.
The laws that grant immunity to bystanders calling 911 when someone overdoses can save lives. But by drawing police presence, they also are disrupting the illicit drug trade. Policymakers can build on that.
A Housing and Urban Development report awaited since December shows homeless numbers went down for the first time since 2016.
Benefits that travel with workers from job to job give them stability, and they’re a recruitment and retention tool for businesses. State laws that provide legal clarity can make it work for everyone.
Votes aren’t fully counted, but the general-election duels for California governor, L.A. mayor and other offices are starting to take shape.
The design of political constituencies is an important element in the maintenance of community. The way we have manipulated voting districts has eroded a relationship that ought to be fundamental to public life.
Our system for dealing with these emergencies is weaker than it once was. Leaders closest to the people need to strengthen their communications, operations and community engagement before the next crisis arrives.
Seven states that rely on Colorado River water couldn’t agree on a plan to share a shrinking resource. What comes next could be especially fateful for Arizona.
It’s not just uncertainty coming from Washington. It’s a structural shift in who bears fiscal risk, and local governments are at the bottom of that ladder.
The state has become the first to ban personalized algorithmic pricing for food retailers and food delivery companies.
Electing legislatures under such a system would give minority-party voters more of a voice in their government and blunt the impact of gerrymandering. An effort in Wyoming could serve as a blueprint.
They’re crucial to local economies. As Congress debates a new surface transportation bill, it’s a time to set funding formulas that reflect needs on the ground.
New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani has become a touchstone in urban politics around the country for all kinds of reasons. One of them is a focus on executing basic government services.
A sharp decline in international migration slowed population growth in 48 states, underscoring how dependent many states have become on migration to sustain growth.
Too many end up homeless. Stability is critical, and far more can be done to create supportive environments.
A report from Trust for America’s Health examines state readiness to respond to disease outbreaks and disasters.
The race for California insurance commissioner is attracting new attention, new money, and a range of policy ideas as increasingly frequent disasters have shaken up the insurance industry.
The latest struggle over abortion rights is in disguise at the Supreme Court.
Median asking rent is down from a peak in 2022, according to a null report. Some cities are still seeing year-over-year rent increases.
In Arizona alone, the number of residents receiving nutrition aid fell 42 percent from July 2025 to January 2026.
Convenience stores, bodegas and other small food sellers will have to make difficult changes under new federal and state regulations. It could make it harder for low-income people to follow a balanced diet, and some may have to close.
The dismissal of the entire National Science Board breaks down guardrails that protect public health, says epidemiologist Brian Castrucci.
Transit agencies are still sorting out the financial challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. In some areas the decline in ridership could be permanent.
As Atlanta’s mayor puts it, a strategy for everything “means you have a strategy of nothing.”
The World Cup is expected to draw huge crowds, and it’s up to cities to figure out how to get them to the matches before kickoff.
Teams are worth a lot of money that public universities could use to fund academic priorities. It’s also an opportunity to abandon the myth of the “student-athlete.”
Allen, Texas, put a few videos on its new YouTube channel in 2007 just to see what would happen. Today the channel has a subscriber base few local governments could match.
State policies that can unlock the affordability of home electrification, rooftop solar and battery storage could save families significant money while giving them a direct stake in the next energy economy.
People’s perceptions of whether crime is rising and how safe they feel may be influenced by their financial outlook, neighborhood demographics and other factors, according to a recent report.
There are efforts at the state level to curtail it, but it’s not going away.
