Data is central to city planning and strategies, and city leaders have long worked with internal staff and expert partners to compile and analyze data for decision-making. In the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, the process for collecting and utilizing data needs to happen in real-time, so we can take into account the spread of

Cities from around the country of various sizes are implementing important actions that engage youth as an asset in COVID-19 responses. City leaders are committed to authentically engaging their community and find it especially challenging during the pandemic. Youths are a vital asset to cities, all the more so in these difficult times. When thinking about authentic youth engagement to help fill the

Across the country, millions of employees are now deemed essential workers. From grocery cashiers to pharmacy technicians to gas station attendants, many are balancing protecting themselves and working in low-wage jobs that provide necessary services to American society at large. There are also frontline workers, such as doctors, elder care workers, nurses and police officers who are helping in this fight by directly helping those most impacted by this

As city officials weigh the risks and rewards of reopening their local economies, they face a series of intertwined economic, public health, and public relations dilemmas. How can they maximally reduce the risk of infection in places of business? How do they know if the risk of infection in a given sector or region of their city becomes too high for it to remain open? And how do they

Cities, towns and villages across the nation are preparing for significant budget cuts and the difficult decisions that accompany them. The fiscal impacts of the economic downturn caused by COVID-19 are not just numbers on a page. They include massive layoffs, furloughs and pay cuts that affect the lives of thousands of municipal employees, their

Across the United States, large cities have been the early epicenter of the novel Coronavirus pandemic. From Los Angeles to New York to Miami, big-city mayors have been responding in a myriad of ways to protect their residents and flatten the curve. Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who himself tested positive for the virus in March,

COVID-19 has changed our world.   The landscape, lives and livelihoods of our communities throughout the United States will forever be impacted. As America’s cities, towns and villages face falling revenues, strapped budgets and challenges to health and well-being, one thing is abundantly clear: To chart a path back to normalcy, we must come together as a nation.  Right now, local governments are doing what we do best – care for

As the nation battles COVID-19, many local governments have transitioned to telework and limited access to government building by visitors and non-essential staff. In adjusting to these changes, local governments have continued to balance the imperative to protect the public health and safety with the need to ensure that municipal services and processes continue to

The last several weeks have overturned everyday life and exposed weaknesses across science, government services, and regretfully, the human spirit. In the midst of an unprecedented global crisis, the U.S. has reached more than one million confirmed COVID-19 cases. To overcome this pandemic, we must rethink our human behaviors under physical distancing guidelines. We must

The Supreme Court refused to lift its stay of federal court orders that prevented the Trump administration from making changes to the definition of public charge. Immigrants who are deemed a “public charge” are ineligible to receive green cards/lawful permanent resident status. The most recent definition of public charge, adopted in 1999, included immigrants who