Abstract Smart city initiatives constitute a pivotal strategy for advancing sustainable urban development, yet their effectiveness in fostering enterprise-level green technology innovation (EGTI) remains underexplored. By leveraging a refined identification strategy at the address level, this study evaluates the impact of China’s Smart City Pilot Policy (SCPP) using a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) approach applied to the panel data of Chinese listed firms from 2000 to 2019. This analysis provides robust causal evidence of the effectiveness of the SCPP in driving green innovation at the firm level. The main findings are as follows: 1) the SCPP significantly increases both enterprise green patents (GPN) and green invention patents (GIN), exhibiting a lagged but progressively increasing pattern over time. A series of robustness tests confirms the validity of these findings across multiple model specifications. 2) Innovation subsidies and regional technological diversification emerge as key policy-induced mechanisms, demonstrating the complementary roles of an ‘effective government’ and an ‘efficient market’. 3) The policy impact is notably stronger in the initial batch of pilot implications and is more pronounced at the county-level administrative units, displaying a regional gradient that diminishes from eastern to central and western regions, with minimal effectiveness observed in northeastern China. These findings provide conceptual insights and empirical support for the development of smart cities and green transition policies, particularly in the context of transitional economies seeking to align environmental goals with innovation-driven growth. Similar content being viewed by others References - Angelidou M, 2017. The role of smart city characteristics in the plans of fifteen cities. Journal of Urban Technology, 24(4): 3–28. doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/10630732.2017.1348880 - Baker A C, Larcker D F, Wang C C Y, 2022. How much should we trust staggered difference-in-differences estimates? Journal of Financial Economics, 144(2): 370–395. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2022.01.004 - Balland P A, Rigby D, Boschma R, 2015. The
Jul 18, 2026 · via link.springer.com
Smart City Expo Miami 7th Edition: Advancing Urban Intelligence for a Regenerative Future Smart City Expo Miami 7th Edition: Advancing Urban Intelligence for a Regenerative Future Press Release Date 06-16-2026 Participate in the most important urban conversations taking place in the United States today MIAMI, FL, UNITED STATES, June 16, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Smart City Expo Miami will return in October 2026 as a major U.S. gathering focused on urban technology, sustainability, and civic innovation, convening global leaders, policymakers, business executives, and civic innovators around this year’s theme, “Urban Intelligence for a Regenerative Future.” The event is the leading U.S. platform for smart city dialogue and collaboration, with international participation and a strong focus on mobility, infrastructure, governance, sustainability, and digital transformation. Set for October 5–6, 2026, Smart City Expo Miami is positioned to reflect the growing global relevance of Miami as a crossroads for ideas, investment, and innovation. UN-Habitat’s event listing describes the expo as an internationally recognized flagship event in Miami that connects South Florida’s local energy with global intelligence and insight. This year’s theme, “Urban Intelligence for a Regenerative Future,” frames a broader conversation about how cities can move beyond efficiency and toward systems that restore, adapt, and generate long-term value for people and place. The conference program is expected to highlight case studies and practical urban solutions that address resilience, digital transformation, and inclusive growth through real-world applications rather than theory alone. A defining strength of Smart City Expo Miami is the quality of its case studies and the caliber of the professionals presenting them. Event descriptions indicate that attendees can expect award-winning speakers and a global community of experts committed to reimagining urban spaces and advancing community-centered innovation. Beyond the conference and exhibition, the event is designed as a multidisciplinary experience that brings together learning,
Jul 18, 2026 · via natlawreview.com
RESEARCH into sixth-generation (6G) wireless technology is accelerating worldwide as scientists explore how artificial intelligence (AI), terahertz communications, satellite systems and advanced computing could reshape mobile communications beyond the capabilities of today's 5G networks. Recent review papers conclude that future wireless infrastructure will require a fundamental redesign to support the rapid growth of connected devices, autonomous systems and immersive digital services expected over the next decade. Based on four peer-reviewed papers: "A Contemporary Survey on 6G Wireless Networks: Potentials, Recent Advances, Technical Challenges and Future Trends" by Syed Agha Hassnain Mohsan and Yanlong Li; "A Survey on Technological Trends to Enhance Spectrum Efficiency in 6G Communications"; "6G Internet of Things: A Comprehensive Survey"; and "6G Channel Modeling: Requirement, Measurement, Methodology and Simulator," the studies examine the technologies, challenges and research directions expected to shape next-generation wireless communications. The review papers note that while commercial deployment of 5G began in 2019, research on its successor has already gained momentum as governments, universities and industry prepare for the next generation of communications technology. According to Mohsan and Li, "the research of next generation starts with the commercialization phase of previous generation." They noted that Finland, China, Japan, South Korea, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States have already launched or funded early 6G initiatives. The review also cites projections from the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) that global mobile data traffic could reach 5 zettabytes by 2030, driven by smart cities, digital healthcare, industrial automation and the Internet of Everything. Those emerging applications are expected to demand communications systems capable of delivering far greater bandwidth, lower latency and higher reliability than current networks can sustain. Rather than simply increasing wireless speeds, the researchers describe 6G as an intelligent communications platform that combines networking, computing, sensing and AI into a single architecture. "Our
Jul 18, 2026 · via manilatimes.net
Bahrain Expands Global Collaboration on Sustainable Cities Bahrain highlighted its achievements in housing and sustainable urban development at the United Nations Midterm Review of the New Urban Agenda, with Minister of Housing and Urban Planning Amna bint Ahmed Al Rumaihi representing the Kingdom at the high-level gathering in New York. Addressing two ministerial sessions, the Minister outlined Bahrain's comprehensive housing strategy, highlighting programmes that provide citizens with multiple pathways to home ownership. These include housing finance, land and housing unit purchase schemes, off-plan projects and flexible funding solutions designed to meet the needs of different income groups. The minister also highlighted Bahrain's progress in digitising housing services, noting that digital transformation and integrated e-services have streamlined procedures, reduced processing times and improved access to government services for beneficiaries. She pointed to the Government Land Development Programme as a successful model of public-private partnership, explaining how collaboration with private developers has accelerated the delivery of quality housing projects while maximising the use of government-owned land. On the sidelines of the summit, the minister met with UN-Habitat Executive Director Ana Claudia Rocha to discuss expanding cooperation in urban planning, technical expertise and institutional capacity building. She also held talks with Malaysia's Minister of Housing and Local Government, Nga Kor Ming, on strengthening collaboration in housing development, financing mechanisms and digital government services. Related Posts
Jul 18, 2026 · via newsofbahrain.com
The rapid pace of urbanization brings increasing pressure points: prolonged traffic congestion, ever-widening distances between home and work, a shortage of quality public spaces, and the erosion of the living experience in high-density urban environments. According to Savills’ analysis, the challenge for modern megacities is no longer simply about “moving faster” but about helping people “experience life better while commuting.” In this context, the new generation of Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) is beginning to shift its focus from infrastructure to people and from transportation to urban quality of life. In many countries around the world, TOD is not simply seen as a transportation solution. It is a method of reorganizing urban space, creating conditions for the formation of new economic centers, and promoting investment and real estate development in a more sustainable direction. In Vietnam, the model is also considered a planning tool to optimize land use and guide urban development as cities become increasingly congested. International experience It is no coincidence that leading megacities such as Tokyo, Singapore, London, and Hong Kong (China) consider TOD a central solution to urban planning challenges. Mr. Neil MacGregor, CEO of Savills Vietnam, said that, globally, successful TOD models often act as catalysts for the restructuring of entire urban areas. “When public transportation is integrated with commerce, public spaces, offices, housing, and living amenities, the value created lies not only in real estate but also in the potential to form new economic and community centers for the city,” he said. “In the long term, TOD can change how people live, work, and interact with the city. This is also an inevitable development trend for major cities, as the challenge is no longer just expanding infrastructure but improving quality of life and optimizing urban operational efficiency.” According to Savills, TOD has undergone several stages of
Jul 18, 2026 · via en.vneconomy.vn
US-Iran, Steel River & Omterra: This Week's Top Five Stories 1. Strait of Hormuz Shut Again as US-Iran Fighting Restarts The US & Iran have traded strikes over the Strait of Hormuz, leaving oil prices surging and the Commonwealth Bank warning of a return to triple-digit crude The fragile truce between the US and Iran has broken down. Air raid sirens have sounded across Gulf states in recent days as both nations resumed hostilities following a few weeks of relative calm. The immediate trigger came on 6 July, when Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) struck three commercial vessels near Oman, including a Qatari liquefied natural gas tanker, after they reportedly ignored warnings and attempted to pass through a route lined with sea mines. Washington responded with retaliatory strikes on Iranian military targets the following day. Tehran answered with missile and drone attacks on Gulf military bases hosting US forces. By 8 July, US President Donald Trump had declared the ceasefire “over”. Iran then shut the Strait of Hormuz once again, accusing Washington of interfering with the waterway by facilitating alternative transit routes. 2. Steel River: Google Breaks Ground on US's Largest Solar Farm Google and Cypress Creek Energy have begun work on the Steel River Energy Center in Arkansas, pairing solar and battery storage to power AI infrastructure Construction has officially begun on what will become the largest solar facility in the US. The Steel River Energy Center, located in Mississippi County, Arkansas, is being developed by Cypress Creek Energy with Google acting as both the anchor investor and offtaker, meaning that the tech giant has committed to buying the power the project will generate. When the project is completed in 2029, Google expects it will be capable of generating 2.5GW at peak performance, while it will also add
Jul 18, 2026 · via energydigital.com
Digital transformation should be considered the foundation of modern urban governance; therefore, in the coming period, Can Tho city will gradually build a unified urban data ecosystem, promote data sharing from the central to local levels and among management agencies, and form an open data platform to serve citizens, businesses, and research. This was one of the main topics discussed at the Smart City Symposium themed "Shaping the Smart City Development Strategy - Innovation Hub of the Mekong Delta," organized by Can Tho City on July 18th. Speaking at the conference, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Tho City, Nguyen Van Hoa, stated that the ultimate goal of a smart city is to change the way urban governance is conducted, putting citizens at the center, shifting from administrative management and the application of isolated technologies to urban governance that enables the government to make faster and more accurate decisions. Technology is only truly meaningful when it helps governments manage more effectively, enables businesses to innovate more, and allows citizens to access public services more conveniently, safely, and sustainably. The key factor is not technology itself, but rather a team of leaders, managers, and officials with vision, innovative thinking, and governance capabilities in the digital environment. Can Tho's national smart city development plan for the period 2026-2030, with a vision to 2040, clearly identifies data as the core foundation. Urban databases must be standardized, interconnected, and updated in real time to serve analysis and forecasting. AI will be used as a tool, and innovation as the driving force for sustainable development. International experience from Singapore, South Korea, Japan, China, the Netherlands , and other countries in the region shows that the success of smart cities is closely linked to the coordinating role of the State, a people-centered approach, the
Jul 18, 2026 · via vietnam.vn
Ranchi: State Urban Development Agency (SUDA), an arm of the urban development department, will establish a State Climate Centre for Cities (S-C3) in the state. It will be set up as part of the Centreâs âCity Investments to Innovate, Integrate and Sustain 2.0â (CITIIS 2.0) programme. Suraj Kumar, director of SUDA, said, âThe core purpose of the S-C3 is to address escalating climate change challenges within cities and actively foster sustainable urban development, along with advancing a circular economy that prioritises waste management.â As a part of the groundwork, SUDA on Saturday opened the recruitment process for four key positions â a chief climate action officer (CCAO), an environment/climate specialist, an environmental and social officer, and a gender expert. The role of the CCAO will span planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating all programme activities. Key responsibilities include managing urban climate data, assessing risks and impacts, and co-developing adaptation and resilience plans with govt and various stakeholders. The mandate also covers policy support, public outreach and capacity building through training and technical assistance for city officials and planners. Officials said the S-C3 will have its head office in Ranchi under the aegis of SUDA. It will also have dedicated nodal departments stationed at all nine urban local bodies (ULBs) in Ranchi, Adityapur, Mango, Chas, Dhanbad, Deoghar, Hazaribag, Giridih and Medininagar. At the municipal level, a dedicated municipal climate action department will be established to execute these initiatives. This department will be headed by the respective municipal commissioner, who will have a city climate action officer, a health officer and various subject matter experts reporting directly to him or her to ensure smooth implementation. âThe centre aims to develop and implement strategies, policies and initiatives that successfully mitigate the impact of climate change, enhance overall resilience, and promote environmentally responsible and sustainable
Jul 18, 2026 · via timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Jul 18, 2026 · via youtube.com
Dive Brief: - The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted 9-2 Tuesday on initial approval to reduce inclusionary housing mandates for developers from 15% to a minimum of 5%, the San Francisco Examiner reported. - The amendment, which will now move to a second vote, also eliminates inclusionary mandates for developments under 25 units. At the same time, the Board moved to expand San Francisco’s Affordable Housing Trust Fund from $52 million to $125 million, a decision that will go before voters in November, according to Mayor Daniel Lurie. - “Inclusionary requirements are intended to support affordable housing, and they can help us do that,” Lurie said in a social media post following the Board’s vote. “But in a moment when our city is barely building any housing, they can stop projects altogether. And when nothing gets built, costs go up, and families are forced to leave.” Dive Insight: As cities and counties across the country seek ways to boost housing development amid an affordability crisis, longstanding local ordinances are going under the microscope, including, ironically, affordability mandates. San Francisco first adopted inclusionary housing mandates in 2002. In lieu of including a percentage of below-market-rate units in a project, residential developers may pay an affordable housing fee to the municipality. The measure has been responsible for the creation of more than 3,600 affordable housing units since its inception, according to a report from the supervisors’ budget and legislative analyst. In the past three years, however, due to stalled housing production, San Francisco has not collected any inclusionary housing fees from developers, according to Supervisor Myrna Melgar. Melgar, a co-sponsor of the latest reforms, said during the July 14 meeting she hopes the changes will incentivize more market-rate housing and be a temporary fix. “I don’t love lowering the inclusionary percentage
Jul 18, 2026 · via smartcitiesdive.com
Marc Einstein
Marc has over 20 years of experience in the ICT technology research and consulting focusing largely on the Telecommunications and Enterprise IT sectors. Prior to joining Counterpoint Research Marc held several senior positions in industry analyst firms in the USA, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. Based in Tokyo since 2010, Marc is a regular speaker at industry events and a frequent TV panelist. Marc also spent time in the strategy department of the largest mobile gaming company in Japan. A speaker of 6 languages, Marc holds a BSBA in Finance from Washington University in St. Louis and was a visiting student at Rangsit University in Bangkok, Thailand.
Jul 17, 2026 · via counterpointresearch.com
This story was first published at KUNC News. AURORA | Tim York sees Aurora residents watering their lawns on those extra days when they aren’t supposed to, even when their illegal watering happens at 4 a.m. York doesn’t actually see the violations with his own eyes. But the leader of Aurora’s water conservation program knows they’re doing it with the help of a new computer program. “We look at about 2.2 million data points for each individual day, so we’re looking at hourly water use data, and we built some scripts that run against that data on a weekly basis to say “was somebody irrigating when they’re not supposed to be?”” York said earlier this month at his desk at Aurora’s water operations facility. With a few clicks of his mouse, York zeroed in on one of the thousands of watering violations recently committed in Aurora. A graph on one of his large LCD screens revealed a repeating pattern four days a week very early in the morning. He said it could only be a sprinkler on a timer. This surveillance is powered by smart water meters installed last year on homes in Aurora. They transmit data every 15 minutes via cell signal. York’s team automatically gets a spreadsheet each week of thousands of likely outdoor watering violations. Humans verify the data before sending warnings or fines. “If they say “there’s no way I irrigated,” it’s like, well, this is what (the data) shows, and then they usually agree,” he said. “We’re not picking on people just to pick on them. We’re addressing violations, and the reason we’re doing it is a good reason. Water supply is very, very poor.” Aurora’s supply is currently only about half full, and dropping. It’s usually still filling with snowmelt this time of year.
Jul 17, 2026 · via sentinelcolorado.com
Canada wildfires: Smoke choking major US cities July 17, 2026Smoke from hundreds of wildfires burning in Canada has prompted air quality warnings across parts of the United States on Friday, triggering fresh tariff threats from US President Donald Trump. More than 800 wildfires are burning across Canada and the clouds of dense smoke have spread south, choking major cities including Detroit, Chicago, and New York. Cities record 'hazardous' air quality readings Both Detroit and Chicago issued air quality index readings in the "hazardous" range, while in New York, the metro area was shrouded in a smoke tinted haze, deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups. National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts have warned that conditions may worsen overnight into Saturday morning. The AFP news agency cited NWS meteorologist Peter Mullinax as saying that wind over the Great Lakes region could cause more smoke to pour into the Northeast, which could keep skies hazy. There is concern from some air quality forecasters that more smoke is blown south after weekend weather systems. Trump threatens Canada with more tariffs over wildfires US President Trump said he was "holding Canada responsible" for the wildfires, threatening higher tariffs on the neighboring country to make up for the "cost of this pollution." "We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. He added that he will reach out to Canada's prime minister to "find out what they are going to do about it." World Cup organizers 'monitoring closely' FIFA World Cup Organizers said they were "monitoring closely" the situation with the final between Spain and Argentina due to
Jul 17, 2026 · via dw.com
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🚀 Future Blueprint | Cities of Tomorrow - YouTube
Jul 17, 2026 · via youtube.com
Defining cities and measuring what is urban shapes knowledge across fields. But delineations from what is rural and boundaries at the edges of cities or within them are not always harmonized across contexts or paradigms of study, a problem tackled in different ways across this issue’s content. What makes a city a city? Definitions of urbanity vary by country, region and institution. Many states and agencies define a city based on a population threshold, some define a city by administrative boundaries, and others integrate multiple factors — such as population density, land-use characteristics or economic activities — to build a more multifaceted definition. In recent years, the UN1, among others, have worked not to retire local definitions but to harmonize them across boundaries to enable meaningful comparisons. A persistent feature of defining what counts as urban is its opposition to the category of rural, although the distinction in many ways is mutually constitutive. As an editorial team, we are invested in growing Nature Cities into a generative place to flesh out how to define a city, the implications of different definitions and measures, and of urban–rural connections and dichotomies. Many of the works in this issue tease out aspects of these elements. In a World View, Batáry draws the conclusion that planning models must integrate cities and their rural surroundings to be sustainable. With a life shaped by both city and village life, Batáry considers how profoundly the landscapes of both have changed in post-communist Hungary, and yet how deeply they affect each other. The question of integration extends to the relationship between urban development and natural ecosystems within the city itself. In the case of Nusantara, the new capital city of Indonesia — planned to be a ‘forest city’ — the integration pertains to the city itself. In their
Jul 17, 2026 · via nature.com
The new “Smart Cities Control Room” workshop is coming An initiative by the ITS Academy for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, which has opened a new state-of-the-art laboratory at Estra’s headquarters in Prato. Its Academy for Energy, Environment and Sustainability has inaugurated the new “Smart Cities Control Room” at Estra’s headquarters in Prato: a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to training in the monitoring, analysis and control of smart cities and complex energy systems. The workshop The infrastructure, funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) with an investment of €883,729.49, is the latest addition to the network of decentralised laboratories that ITS Academy Energia is setting up directly within its partner companies, moving away from the traditional school model towards a training approach designed to better understand the needs of businesses. The laboratory has been designed as a fully-fledged training control room, capable of accommodating a class of around 30 students, who will be able to collect, visualise and analyse data from urban mobility systems and energy infrastructure in real time, with the aim of acquiring skills that can be immediately applied in the utilities sector, public administrations and technology companies. Benefits for students Using professional tools and cloud infrastructure, students will be able to simulate the activities of Smart City operations centres, from monitoring consumption and infrastructure to analysing mobility and identifying anomalies. The aim is to train technicians capable of using data to make urban services more efficient, safe and sustainable. As part of its collaboration with ITS Academy, Estra will also consider setting up work placements, internships, apprenticeship schemes and potential employment opportunities for students trained through the laboratory. Statements ‘The network of workshops represents the most complete embodiment of our approach to training, as they enable students to gain experience and knowledge directly within companies, in close
Jul 17, 2026 · via en.ilsole24ore.com
Automotive World’s latest light vehicle production forecast has revised anticipated global output to 76.5 million units, down 3.1% from prior estimates. Practically all of the 2.5 million-unit shortfall originated from one country: China.
Chinese production is now expected to top out at 18.7 million units, a 17% reduction. This more bearish conclusion reflects growing pessimism among China’s automakers and industry associations about market saturation; more cars are currently being produced than local consumers can absorb. Brands particularly likely to be impacted include BYD, Chery and Geely.
Production across the rest of the world is anticipated to offset this decline partially: India has been revised up 18%, Mexico 6.1%, the US 4.4%, and Europe 0.8%. However, the sheer scale of China’s contribution still drags the overall figure negative.
To learn more about what brands are struggling and succeeding, download the July update to Automotive World’s light vehicle sales forecast.
Jul 17, 2026 · via automotiveworld.com
The Kerala Industrial Corridor Development Corporation (KICDC) is gearing up to launch promotional campaigns for the Palakkad Smart City—part of the Kochi-Bengaluru Industrial Corridor—by December. The corporation also aims to start allocating land to large-scale industries early next year. Industries requiring more than 50 acres of land will be considered in the first phase of allotment. The infrastructure development work, which commenced in October last year, is expected to be completed by April 2029 as targeted. Alongside this, the government aims to complete the land allotment to ensure the Smart City becomes fully operational. The project is progressing under the leadership of Industries Minister P.K. Kunhalikutty. A team, including Industries Department Additional Chief Secretary A.P.M. Mohammed Hanish, the District Collector, and NICDC officials, reviews the construction progress every month. Technical inputs from IIT Palakkad and NIT Tiruchirappalli are being fully utilised in designing the infrastructure development. Out of the 1,450 acres of land acquired by the Kerala government for the project at a cost of ₹1,489 crore, 889 acres have already been handed over to KICDC. Proportionate to this land transfer, the corporation has received ₹934.46 crore from the Central government for infrastructure development. The Kerala Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited (KICDC) is a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) formed with equal equity participation by KINFRA (under the government of Kerala) and the National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT, under the Central government) to coordinate the development activities of the Smart City. Kerala is the first state in the country to complete the tendering process and commence infrastructure development among the 12 industrial smart cities being implemented nationwide. An EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) contract has been awarded for the comprehensive development of the Smart City, covering everything from design to construction and maintenance. Based on the design details
Jul 17, 2026 · via thehindubusinessline.com
Rapid population growth is placing increasing pressure on natural resources, urban systems, and climate resilience. Today, many environmental and development challenges are intensified by population growth. From water management to food security, and from pollution to traffic and infrastructure concerns, each broader problem is exacerbated by exponential population growth. Starting with water, more people means more water extraction, stress on rivers and aquifers, and demand for clean drinking water that exceeds available supply. Aging pipelines, inadequate maintenance, and outdated management systems contribute to the growing gap between requirements and resource delivery. Food security follows the same pattern. Population growth increases the demand for farmland, irrigable land, transport, and storage. Traditional food systems are not equipped to feed rapidly growing urban populations. The planet does not have infinite soil and water resources, making sustainable practices increasingly essential. Pollution is another side effect of crowded cities. More people mean more vehicles, more industries, more energy and food consumption, and more waste. The volume of waste can exceed the capacity of municipal management systems, resulting in unauthorised dumping as rivers, streets, and empty plots become dumping grounds. This not only creates an unpleasant environment but also fosters unhygienic conditions and raises health concerns. Climate change magnifies these trends, turning cities into heat traps that are increasingly difficult to live in during peak summers. In Delhi, the Ghazipur landfill has become a stark example of how long-term mismanagement can create serious environmental hazards. The towering landfill illustrates the consequences of unchecked waste generation and inadequate waste management. Then there is infrastructure. The current structure of cities, from roads and bridges to healthcare and housing, is not designed to carry such a large population. This shortcoming is reflected in daily traffic jams, power outages, flooded streets, overwhelmed hospitals, and the rising cost of living in
Jul 17, 2026 · via dawn.com
Massachusetts homebuilders will have a smaller hill to climb when submitting variance requests following new reforms included in the state’s fiscal 2027 budget. Instead of having to prove “substantial hardship” in a request for an exception to a local zoning ordinance, petitioners must demonstrate only a “practical difficulty” in adhering to the local ordinance or by-law, according to an analysis by law firm Bowditch. The measure tasks local zoning authorities with considering the potential benefits to both the applicant and the community, “including the interest in supporting the production of housing against the detriment to the public health, safety and welfare of the neighborhood,” when considering variance requests, according to the amendment approved as part of the state budget signed July 9. The amendment also doubles the lifespan of an approved use variance, from one year to two. The reform follows a number of state-level efforts to ease housing production restrictions in Massachusetts, which for decades has “maintained one of the most demanding variance standards,” according to Bowditch. The budget also includes extensions for zoning freezes for approved projects and provisions for local governments to communicate about public hearings for zoning amendments, special permits and variances via email, the law firm said. “These changes will help accelerate housing production while preserving local decision-making,” Gov. Maura Healey’s office said in a news release following the budget’s approval. The state is working toward creating 222,000 homes by 2035. It announced last month that it is 15% of the way there after adding nearly 35,000 new homes last year.
Jul 17, 2026 · via smartcitiesdive.com