CHICAGO—Council Approves Coach House Legislation with Restrictions -
The Chicago City Council approved coach houses citywide with ward-specific restrictions allowing aldermen to opt in for single-family areas. The compromise...more
10/8/2025
/ Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) ,
Affordable Housing ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Wage ,
Municipalities ,
Project Labor Agreements ,
Property Owners ,
Property Tax ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Sanctuary Cities ,
Small Business ,
State and Local Government ,
Strike ,
Student Housing ,
Taxation ,
Unions ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
PA Treasurer Expands Loan Program Amid Budget Stalemate -
State Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R) widened a $500 million low-interest loan initiative to include providers of domestic violence and rape survivor services as the...more
10/7/2025
/ Disclosure Requirements ,
Domestic Violence ,
Flood Zones ,
Loans ,
Mail-In Ballots ,
Pennsylvania ,
Public Transit ,
Public Transportation ,
SCOTUS ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Elections ,
Vulnerable Victims
Gov. Shapiro Issues EO to Safeguard Vaccine Access -
Governor Josh Shapiro issued an executive order directing state agencies to create vaccine information hubs, expand safety-net programs, and require insurance coverage...more
10/3/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Corporate Taxes ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Budget ,
Firearms ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
Government Shutdown ,
Gun Laws ,
Health Insurance ,
Housing Market ,
Pennsylvania ,
Project Labor Agreements ,
Public Health ,
Rent Control ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Vaccinations
Mayor Parker Reaffirms Use of Project Labor Agreements on City Projects - Mayor Cherelle Parker (D) signed an executive order requiring City agencies to consider project labor agreements for publicly funded work, reinforcing...more
10/3/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
City Councils ,
Committee Meetings ,
Community Development ,
Construction Industry ,
Executive Orders ,
Federal Employees ,
Government Shutdown ,
Local Elections ,
Non-Union ,
Project Labor Agreements ,
Public Employees ,
Public Projects ,
Public Transportation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Solar Energy ,
Unions ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
Councilmember Introduces Bill to Stop Philly from Burning Trash -
City Councilmember Jamie Gauthier (D-District 3) introduced legislation to ban Philadelphia from signing new waste disposal contracts with companies that...more
9/26/2025
/ City Councils ,
Committee Meetings ,
Environmental Justice ,
Environmental Policies ,
Infrastructure ,
New Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Safety ,
State and Local Government ,
Trump Administration ,
Waste Management
BOSTON—City Tests AI Traffic System to Speed Up School Buses-
Boston is piloting an AI-driven traffic management system that uses GPS data to extend green lights for school buses, reducing travel times by 8% in early tests,...more
9/25/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Community Development ,
Due Process ,
First Amendment ,
Law Enforcement ,
Local Elections ,
Minimum Wage ,
Public Health ,
Public Transit ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government ,
Transportation Industry ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Wage and Hour ,
Zoning Laws
Lawmakers remain deadlocked over spending levels, revenue options, and policy priorities, leaving schools and human services without state funding and forcing local governments to borrow or cut programs. At the center of the...more
9/23/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Ballots ,
Broadband ,
Data Centers ,
Education Budget ,
Election Laws ,
Energy Policy ,
Federal Budget ,
Government Shutdown ,
Mail-In Ballots ,
Municipalities ,
Pennsylvania ,
PJM ,
Political Campaigns ,
Public Schools ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Elections
Despite Governor Josh Shapiro’s (D) authorization of the use of infrastructure dollars to provide transit agencies with short-term operating support, which removed a major point of contention in negotiations, the budget...more
9/19/2025
/ Affordable Care Act ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Charter Schools ,
City Councils ,
Federal Funding ,
Inclusionary Housing Ordinance ,
Infrastructure ,
New Legislation ,
Pennsylvania ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Health ,
Public Transit ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Trump Administration
City Council to Consider Requiring Retailers to Charge Fee for Paper Bags -During Thursday’s meeting, City Councilmember Mark Squilla (D-District 1) reintroduced a bill that would require retailers to charge a fee for paper...more
9/19/2025
/ Aviation Industry ,
Ballot Measures ,
City Councils ,
Community Development ,
Economic Development ,
Housing Market ,
Local Ordinance ,
New Legislation ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Safety ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Market ,
State and Local Government ,
Urban Planning & Development
Democratic Group Backs PA Supreme Court Justices in Retention Fight -
The Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, a national organization focused on electing Democrats to all levels of office, is investing six figures...more
9/17/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Federal Funding ,
Gerrymandering ,
Hemp Related Businesses ,
Hospitals ,
Immigration Reform ,
Labor Reform ,
PA Supreme Court ,
Pennsylvania ,
Pharmacies ,
Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) ,
Public Transit ,
Redistricting ,
State and Local Government ,
State Elections
City Council Bill Targets Smoke Shops Selling Unregulated Drugs -
During Thursday’s meeting, City Councilmember Katherine Gilmore Richardson (D-At Large) introduced legislation to close loopholes and strengthen enforcement...more
State Budget Deal “Close” But Elusive as Talks Drag Into Third Month- Lawmakers from both parties say a budget agreement is close but are offering few details, leaving state payments to schools and social services frozen...more
9/12/2025
/ City Councils ,
Mail-In Ballots ,
PA Supreme Court ,
Pennsylvania ,
Redistricting ,
Solar Energy ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Tax Credits ,
Unions ,
Voter Registration
BALTIMORE—City Opens First-of-its-Kind Public AI Lab to Expand Access -Baltimore Recreation and Parks, in partnership with tech companies NWN and Intel, launched Greenmount Recreation Center, a free, community-centered...more
9/11/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Community Development ,
Executive Orders ,
Gig Economy ,
Information Technology ,
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Local Ordinance ,
Municipalities ,
Property Tax ,
Public Health ,
Public Transit ,
Public Transportation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Rental Assistance Programs ,
State and Local Government ,
Technology Sector ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Zoning Laws
Lawmakers Return to Harrisburg as Amid Ongoing Budget Stalemate -
As Pennsylvania’s budget impasse enters its tenth week, lawmakers return to Harrisburg with limited expectations for progress, while transit agencies and...more
9/9/2025
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Pennsylvania ,
Pharmacies ,
Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
Public Transit ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Trump Administration ,
Vaccinations ,
Voting Rights
Gov. Shapiro Navigates SEPTA Crisis Amid Budget Stalemate -
Governor Josh Shapiro (D) is caught between House Democrats and Senate Republicans as he tries to secure long-term funding for SEPTA, which has already cut service...more
9/5/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Cyber Attacks ,
Cybersecurity ,
Federal Funding ,
Health Insurance ,
Heat Exposure ,
Homeless Issues ,
Infrastructure ,
New Legislation ,
Opioid ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Campaigns ,
Political Candidates ,
Public Health ,
Public Transit ,
Public Transportation ,
Redistricting ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Substance Abuse ,
Transportation Industry ,
Vaccinations
City’s Novel PHLHousing+ Program Shows Strong Results-
A new study finds that families receiving unrestricted cash through Philadelphia’s PHLHousing+ program were less likely to face eviction, homelessness, or poor housing...more
$49.9B Shapiro Budget Offer Opens Path to Compromise Amid Transit, Funding Challenges -
Governor Josh Shapiro’s (D) $49.9 billion budget proposal has prompted cautious optimism in Harrisburg, with Democratic leaders...more
8/29/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
Artificial Intelligence ,
Economic Development ,
Federal Funding ,
Infrastructure ,
LGBTQ ,
Mail-In Ballots ,
Mass Transit ,
Medicaid ,
New Legislation ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Campaigns ,
Public Policy ,
Public Transit ,
SNAP Program ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Legislatures ,
Tax Incentives
Teachers Union Reaches Tentative Contract as School Year Begins -
The Philadelphia Federation of Teachers secured a tentative three-year deal with the School District that includes economic provisions, potential parental...more
8/29/2025
/ Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) ,
Employee Benefits ,
Labor Disputes ,
Paid Sick Leave ,
Parental Leave ,
Pennsylvania ,
Public Schools ,
School Boards ,
School Districts ,
School Safety ,
Sick Leave ,
Strike ,
Teachers ,
Unions ,
Workplace Safety
Why PA’s Government Keeps Running Despite Late Budget -
Nearly two months past the budget deadline, the Pennsylvania government continues operating due to legal exceptions and ongoing revenue collection. While core...more
8/26/2025
/ Artificial Intelligence ,
Government Shutdown ,
Homeless Issues ,
Infrastructure ,
Innovative Technology ,
Local Elections ,
Nonprofits ,
Personal Data ,
Pilot Programs ,
Political Candidates ,
Public Finance ,
Public Schools ,
Public Transit ,
Public Transportation ,
Regulatory Reform ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Elections ,
Teachers ,
Unions
Mayor Parker Outlines Behind-the-Scenes Efforts to Secure SEPTA Funding Amid PA Budget Talks -
Mayor Cherelle Parker (D) has been actively working with state lawmakers across party lines to support SEPTA as the transit...more
8/22/2025
/ City Agencies ,
Community Development ,
Environmental Policies ,
Infrastructure ,
Municipalities ,
Public Projects ,
Public Safety ,
Public Transit ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Traffic Laws ,
Urban Planning & Development
Cuts Commence as Budget Statement Persists -
With the state budget more than seven weeks overdue, delayed payments are straining Pennsylvania libraries, foster care agencies, and schools, prompting service cuts, borrowing,...more
8/22/2025
/ Election Laws ,
Electric Vehicles ,
Health Insurance ,
Healthcare ,
Infrastructure ,
Libraries ,
Mail-In Ballots ,
Pennsylvania ,
Property Tax ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Public Schools ,
Public Transit ,
Rural Areas ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Elections ,
State Legislatures
BOSTON—City Deploys Sensors to Combat Rat Infestations -
Boston officials announced the implementation of a new rodent-tracking sensor system throughout the city to provide data on hotspots and measure the effectiveness of...more
8/21/2025
/ Affordable Housing ,
City Councils ,
Data Collection ,
Housing Market ,
HUD ,
Immigration ,
Innovative Technology ,
Mayors ,
Opioid ,
Pest Infestation ,
Property Tax ,
Public Transit ,
Real Estate Development ,
State and Local Government ,
Tenants ,
Unions ,
Urban Planning & Development ,
Vacant Properties ,
Zero-Emission Vehicles ,
Zoning Laws
Garrity Launches GOP Bid for Governor in 2026-
State Treasurer Stacy Garrity has announced her candidacy for the Republican nomination for governor, becoming the first GOP contender in the race and positioning herself as a...more
8/19/2025
/ Employee Benefits ,
Federal Funding ,
Federal Grants ,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ,
Minimum Wage ,
New Legislation ,
Pennsylvania ,
Political Campaigns ,
Political Candidates ,
Public Transit ,
Public Transportation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Real Estate Market ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Elections ,
State Labor Laws ,
State Legislatures ,
Wage and Hour
As Pennsylvania’s budget impasse nears seven weeks, state lawmakers remain deadlocked over a $47.6 billion budget proposal, raising concerns about broader impacts on public transit systems, education funding, and statewide...more
8/18/2025
/ Climate Change ,
Education Reform ,
Election Laws ,
Federal Funding ,
Infrastructure ,
Local Ordinance ,
Paid Leave ,
Pennsylvania ,
Public Transportation ,
Real Estate Development ,
Redistricting ,
Senate Confirmation Hearings ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Elections ,
Urban Planning & Development
City’s High Overtime Costs Raise Burnout, Staffing Concerns-
The City of Philadelphia spent more than $370 million on overtime in 2024, with hundreds of municipal employees—especially those in public safety—doubling or...more
8/15/2025
/ Homeless Issues ,
Infrastructure ,
Labor Shortage ,
Over-Time ,
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Public Safety ,
Public Transit ,
Recruitment Policies ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Transportation Industry ,
Work-Induced Stress ,
Workplace Safety