Equality
Biden Administration Plans for Stronger Fair Housing Enforcement
A pending Department of Housing and Urban Development rule would set new requirements for state and local agencies and mark the reversal of a Trump-era policy.
With $1B at Stake, Clashes Emerge Over Highway Removal
In places like Tulsa and New Orleans, community advocates are pushing for interstates that split apart Black communities to be torn down. But public agencies are floating more modest plans as they look to tap funding from a new federal program.
Senate Package Has $3B for Communities Cut Apart by Highways
The “neighborhood access and equity grants” would supplement earlier funding in the infrastructure law and could go towards a range of projects. About a third of the money is earmarked for lower-income areas.
Without Obergefell, Most States Would Have Same-Sex Marriage Bans
The Roe v. Wade ruling has lawmakers returning to an issue many thought was settled law.
New Data Show a Major Gender Gap in Local Government Leadership
Fewer than one in three top appointed local officials are women, according to the analysis. Curious how your state stacks up? Tools released with the research allow users to look at trends and comparisons across the country.
Study: More Than Half of Women in Tech Say Their Gender is Limiting Their Careers
The study suggests one of the biggest barriers for women in tech is a lack of promotion opportunities.
Battles Over Book Bans Reflect Conflicts From the 1980s
A scholar compares the debates over banning books from schools today to a similar clash of ideas that took place during the Reagan era.
The New Restrictions Conservative State Lawmakers are Pushing on Transgender Kids
Proposals in states like Texas and Alabama come as Republicans are trying to fend off challengers and make gains against Democrats in this year’s elections.
White House Moves to Identify 'Disadvantaged' Communities in Line for Federal Funding Boost
The administration wants to steer more money to areas most in need and has released a draft of places that should get more help.
What Does It Say About Your Neighborhood If the Supermarket Isn’t So Super?
COMMENTARY | A mother-and-daughter team went comparison-shopping to see what grocery store shelves revealed about inequity in America.
Featured eBooks
How Mayors are Factoring in Equity as Their Cities Spend Federal Aid
“We're trying to change the status quo,” says one city leader.
The Next Frontier in Equity is All About Data
COMMENTARY | Developing strategies centered on data collection is critical for governments to make sure resources are deployed in an effective and equitable way.
Why a Majority of White Americans Oppose Reparations For Black Citizens
A new report shows that white people believe that it would be difficult to determine financial payments, among other reasons.
Surgeons Sometimes Deny Organ Transplants for Disabled Patients. State Lawmakers Are Changing That.
Twenty-nine states prevent doctors from considering a person's disability when determining eligibility for an organ transplant. Wisconsin could join them.
'Love Letter' Legislation Leads to Lawsuit
A real estate firm filed a lawsuit to contest a new law in Oregon that prohibits sellers from presenting their clients with letters from prospective homebuyers, a common practice in competitive markets.
Five Ways Government Leaders Can Develop Future Infrastructure Workers
The $1.2 trillion federal infrastructure package can deliver a needed jolt to the labor market, but states and localities need to focus on building the long-term labor pipeline, according to a new report.
Taking Race Out of Criminal Charges
Prosecutors in Yolo County, California, are attempting “race-blind charging” by using software to redact identifying information, including race and other descriptors, from police reports.
10 Steps for Advancing Equity With American Rescue Plan Funding
Local governments seeking transformative impacts must recognize that threats, risks and trauma are daily conditions experienced by low-income communities and people of color, according to a report, which recommends a variety of actions.
A Billionaire Wants to Build an Inclusive Utopian City. Government Leaders Are Skeptical.
Former Walmart executive Marc Lore envisions the world’s first 'woke city’ somewhere in the U.S., costing upward of $400 billion and with an application to live there.
How to Budget for Equity and Drive Lasting Change
COMMENTARY | State and local governments should prioritize equity in their budgets by using data, being outcome driven and engaging the whole community.
