As the pandemic-induced economic downturn continues, cities are facing immediate, significant and irreplaceable losses to major revenue streams. NLC estimates that cities will experience a $360 billion budget shortfall over the next three years. The question, of course, quickly turns to are cities prepared to weather a fiscal storm this severe? One critical way to

Thank you for your leadership during these challenging and uncertain times. Many of you have been at the forefront of your community’s response to the coronavirus pandemic for the past few months. In the midst of this public health pandemic, many of our cities were reminded of the deep inequities that exist in our democracy.

By Greg Rodriguez and Annie YJ Chang  The COVID-19 pandemic may have put a temporary halt on our mobility, but it has not steered us away from building more connected and resilient communities. If anything, it is the opposite. As we look to slowly reopen our communities, we must make critical transportation-related decisions. Data will

The toll of the current public health crisis continues to unfold on municipal budgets with revenue shortfalls anticipated to near $360 billion over the next three years. These shortfalls are impacting families and local economies nationwide as cities respond with tough decisions to furlough or even lay off dedicated staff and cut investments in critical

By Patrick Wojahn As I speak with my neighbors in College Park and other trail users around the country, it’s clear how COVID-19 has changed the shape of our lives. It’s changed how we govern, how we work, how our kids learn, how we exercise and how we get from place to place. And for

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to sit down with my college roommate, Dr. Arthur Evans, now CEO of The American Psychological Association; Lindsay Horvath, Mayor of West Hollywood, CA; and hundreds of other local elected officials to discuss the importance of maintaining mental health and committing to self-care during the pandemic. This all started as

On any given night 567,715 individuals are experiencing homelessness in 2019. Fast forward to today, the novel coronavirus has heightened a housing crisis that was already exacerbated by compounding factors like rising housing cost, wage stagnation and racialized housing policy . Now with the added layer of the novel coronavirus, the housing crisis has reached

“No one runs with the intent to dismantle their economy,” said Mayor David Holt. However, Mayor Holt admits he would make the decision again to close down his city because it saved lives. As the novel coronavirus ravaged communities on the coast, the Midwest city began to prepare under Mayor Holt’s leadership. Hear how. Elected

By AARP Montclair, New Jersey—a generally upscale suburb 12 miles west of Manhattan— is home to 39,000 people, 20 percent of whom are age 60 or older. The township joined the  AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities  in 2015. Montclair’s age-friendly effort is called  Lifelong Montclair.  The Challenge  “The most pressing issue we’re facing is a

Parents across the country need support more than ever before as they balance caring for children and ensuring the financial stability of their families. Soaring unemployment and restricted operation of non-essential businesses has created unprecedented insecurity for families. Schools and childcare facilities remain closed in many parts of the country, adding to the burden for