The explosive growth of data centers, fueled partly by the AI race, has some states scrambling for a piece of the action and some localities trying to pump the brakes.
Legislators aim to reward localities that ease land-use barriers and expand housing supply amid a statewide shortage.
A century of increasingly restrictive zoning has priced out lower-cost housing, and new limits on how homes are used risk deepening the affordability crisis.
The state is issuing leases for unbuilt homes to shrink the Hawaiian Home Lands backlog.
About 90 percent of federal lands are located in Western states. Dave Upthegrove, public lands commissioner of Washington state, discusses how changing federal priorities are affecting his job.
Clear, consistent planning and messaging helped New Rochelle, N.Y., build thousands of housing units with minimal blowback.
As traditional development slows, accessory dwelling units now represent 30–45 percent of new permits and more than half of the affordable homes in unincorporated areas.
When it comes to protecting their residents from environmental harms, lawmakers in red and blue states alike are making progress without waiting for Washington.
Statesville cited economic benefits in rezoning 330 acres of farmland, even as residents warned of noise, pollution and lost rural character.
From new state parks to expanded public access, Gov. Jared Polis has made conservation and recreation a signature focus as he enters his final year in office.
A 2024 state law aimed to double accessory dwelling units, but Honolulu has added only 1,320, about half the anticipated pace. Residents cite permitting delays, sewer constraints and construction burdens.
Groups focused on food security are scrambling following the cancellation of federal programs supporting purchases from local farmers.
The state agriculture department has banned the sale or purchase of English ivy, a fast-growing vine that can kill trees and harm native plants.
No sector stands to lose more from trade wars than agriculture. With the economies of rural communities at stake, states should call for trade policy that supports long-term growth.
As Texas land commissioner, Dawn Buckingham controls 13 million acres. She intends to give the Trump administration as much of it as they need to secure the border.
Mass culling is expensive, but alternatives, like vaccinating chickens or luring wild birds away from domestic flocks, would also impose logistical and environmental costs. And they may be more expensive, anyway.
Most Read
