Hochul Calls for National “Assault Weapon” Ban-
Following the tragic mass shooting in Manhattan this past week, Governor Kathy Hochul urged federal lawmakers to strengthen national gun safety laws. The gunman entered a...more
8/5/2025
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BOSTON—City’s First Office-to-Residential Conversion Project Begins -Construction has officially begun on Boston’s first office-to-residential apartment conversions. This effort is a part of a City pilot program aimed at...more
7/24/2025
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On June 30, the City Council formally adopted the $115.9 billion FY 2026 budget. The budget includes funding to pilot a new free child care program for children under 2 years old, along with a significant increase in City...more
7/8/2025
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NEW YORK—Waymo Applies for NYC Permit -
Waymo, Alphabet’s self-driving car unit, plans to begin manually operating vehicles in Manhattan as a first step toward launching autonomous ride-hailing in New York City. The company...more
6/26/2025
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BOSTON—City Receives $7.4M for Office-to-Residential Conversions -Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (D) allocated $7.4 million to support two office-to-residential conversion projects in downtown Boston, part of a broader...more
6/12/2025
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Deputy Mayor Randy Mastro is considering cancelling a planned affordable housing development at Elizabeth Street Garden. He has suggested that the apartments instead be built on a nearby lot, which was initially reserved for...more
NYS Passes Bill for Metropolitan Park Casino Project-
Last week, New York State Assemblymembers approved legislation that would allow for the construction of an $8B entertainment and casino complex on 50 acres of Citi...more
NEW YORK—Mayor Adams, CTO Announce City’s First Crypto Summit-
New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Matthew Fraser will host New York City’s first Crypto Summit next month, bringing together...more
CHICAGO—City Begins Converting Loop Office Buildings to Housing -Chicago’s La Salle Corridor Revitalization Initiative kicked off last week, beginning with the transformation of a historic 14-story Loop office building into...more
CHICAGO—City Incentives Aim to Attract Data Centers -
Chicago is positioning itself to capitalize on the data center boom, with the City Council adopting an ordinance offering incentives for developers to store municipal...more
3/20/2025
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BALTIMORE—City Moves Closer to Creating Consumer Protection Agency -The Baltimore City Council advanced a bill to establish its own consumer protection agency, modeled after similar agencies in nearby Howard and Montgomery...more
3/6/2025
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CHICAGO — Restaurant Workers Prepare as ICE Arrests Cast Uncertainty -Chicago restaurant workers are bracing for possible U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrests, despite no confirmed raids. Fears have led...more
2/20/2025
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CHICAGO — Restaurants on Guard Against ICE -
Immigrants comprise roughly 40% of Chicago's restaurant workforce. Some restaurant owners have begun educating employees on their rights, providing required paperwork, and...more
2/5/2025
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CHICAGO — Data Shows City’s Labor Market Stabilizing -
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago President Austan Goolsbee said the latest jobs report suggests the labor market is stabilizing at full employment and is not a sign of an...more
1/23/2025
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CHICAGO — Jobs Slightly Down Since Last Year, State Data Shows -
The Chicago metro area experienced a 0.2% drop in non-farm jobs between November 2023 and November 2024. While private education, health services, and...more
1/9/2025
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PHILADELPHIA — City Council Moves to Ban AI Rent “Price-Fixing” -
The Philadelphia City Council advanced legislation that would empower the City to sue landlords for alleged “price-fixing” of rental rates, particularly...more
11/7/2024
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Hotels ,
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Price-Fixing ,
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Rental Property ,
Surveillance
LOS ANGELES — L.A. Metro Testing AI Weapons Detection System-
L.A. Metro is considering implementing a weapons detections system being tested in Chicago that uses existing security cameras to scan the transit passengers...more
10/10/2024
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CHICAGO — City’s ShotSpotter Contract Ends-
After months of contentious debate among city leaders, the City of Chicago ceased use of the gun detection technology ShotSpotter.
NEW YORK — Top Taxi, Rideshare Insurer Facing...more
9/26/2024
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CHICAGO — CTA Launches AI Surveillance to Stop Gun Violence at Transit Stations-
The Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) recently rolled out an artificial intelligence (AI) surveillance tool to detect guns at stations, a move...more
9/12/2024
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BALTIMORE — City Council Investigates DPW Working Conditions -Baltimore City Council members criticized Department of Public Works (DPW) officials over unsafe workplace conditions following the death of a sanitation worker,...more
8/29/2024
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Mayor Adams has issued an Executive Order, directing city agencies to review city-owned and controlled land for potential housing development. The executive order formally establishes the City Housing Activation Task Force,...more
Gig Economy & Technology NEW YORK —
City Deploys Drones for Major Storm Warnings-
New York City emergency management officials have deployed five teams with multiple drones to warn residents in basement or ground-floor...more
8/15/2024
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CHICAGO — U.S. Steel South Works Site Wins Massive Quantum Project -Illinois is investing in quantum computing on the Far South Side of Chicago at the former U.S. Steel South Works plant on Lake Michigan. The goal is to...more
8/12/2024
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BALTIMORE — Gig Work on the Rise in Baltimore Area-
Gig work is on the rise in the Baltimore area, becoming a predominant lifestyle choice for many individuals. The trend underscores a significant shift in employment...more
7/3/2024
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Mayor Adams has appointed a new Executive Director of the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services, Johnny Celestin. Celestin most recently served as Deputy Director for the Mayor’s Office of Minority- and Women-Owned Business...more