Author: Mary Scott Nabers

Affordable housing shortages are now a top concern for government officials throughout the country. Every metro area in the United States is dealing with a severe shortage of affordable housing. The National Low Income Housing Coalition reports that the problem is impacting even rural areas of the country. Because of the magnitude of the problem, […]

Looking for engineering and construction opportunities?  Look no further than ports! Investment in America’s ports is accelerating significantly and port spending will increase again in 2019. Because of the neo-Panamax megaships, ports throughout the country are expanding shipping channels and harbors.  They are also expanding rail lines and constructing new facilities or significantly expanding older […]

Recognizing that two heads really are better than one, governmental officials nationwide are taking the very old adage to the extreme as they work toward “smart city” status. In what is already a major trend, cities are partnering with private-sector businesses, corporations, educational organizations, civic groups, private individuals and non-government organizations.  The partnerships  or Smart […]

Almost every airport in the country will likely be expanded or upgraded over the next 24 months. Not a single airport in the U.S. is listed in the top 20 airports worldwide anymore.  Because of aging infrastructure, the lack of leading edge technology, transit options and minimal passenger comforts, the country’s airports are in dire […]

The United States ranks number one in the world for health care spending as a percentage of GDP.  That sounds great… but, Texas ranks only 11th worldwide when it comes to performance.  That’s because of “access to care.” The country’s health care rankings are likely to get worse as 673 rural hospitals in the U.S. […]

Political candidates weren’t the only ones vying for the attention of voters this week. More than 508 bond issues totaling approximately $48.8 billion were decided in elections throughout the country. The bond issues that passed will result in millions of dollars being spent on projects such as new school construction, water and wastewater upgrades, affordable housing, […]

Many still think of Smart Cities as a futuristic possibility but, in most metropolitan areas, the rush to initiate smart city technology is happening in real time. While citizens may not be ready for this, technology and the internet of things (IoT) appear to be inevitable. There is concern, however, because without transparency and proper […]

Tax breaks are universally coveted!  And, tax incentives attached to investments in government projects have attracted the attention of investors and developers. Last week, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced eagerly awaited proposed regulations and guidelines for a program that trades tax incentives for investments in projects in underserved communities in the nation’s 8,700 new […]

Last week, 14 packages containing pipe bombs were delivered to individuals who were either public officials or connected to government in some way. Another similar package carrying a bomb was intercepted before it reached its target this week. While the devices were detected before they could detonate, and a suspect has been apprehended, the incident […]

Visionary developers are being courted aggressively by city leaders throughout the country.  They are also in high demand by other public officials, including university planners, transit authorities, county officials, school administrators and public hospital leaders. There’s a reason for this new popularity – mixed-use development has become one of the hottest new tools for generating […]

Donald Trump has been promising to build a physical border wall since his earliest campaign days.  The wall, however, sparks so much controversy from all sides it is believed to be DOA with Congress. The cost of a wall would add billions more to the national debt and almost every expert says there is no […]

Last week, a woman carrying an American passport arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport on a flight from Ghana.  Facial recognition technology alerted the U.S. Border Patrol that she was not an American citizen but, in fact, a citizen from Cameroon. It was the third time in the past 40 days that facial recognition technology […]

An infusion of $6 billion in federal funding for critical water infrastructure projects appears to be on the way to some very happy state and local officials. What a great gift! Congress last week passed America’s Water Infrastructure Act (S.3021), which will result in federal funding for projects related to safer drinking water and sewer […]

Some tend to overlook a significant economic driver for many less-populated areas of the country – regional general aviation airports. While these airports are small compared to those found in major cities, their economic impact is extremely significant. In fact, the general aviation industry generates $219 billion in total economic input and contributes $109 billion […]

There are many public officials and economic development organizations with critical projects that can’t be launched because of a lack of funding.  Some of them, however, got lucky a few months ago. The fortunate ones are located in newly-designated “Opportunity Zones.”  Investors with project funding are already knocking on some of their doors with millions […]

Eager to ride in a computer-controlled vehicle? Worried about driverless cars approaching you on city streets?  Better not worry about either scenario because no matter how you feel about autonomous vehicles (AVs)… that is the future. Driverless vehicles have attracted the attention of city leaders nationwide and big changes are occurring. The Smart Transportation Market […]

With midterm elections only a month away, the media is talking non-stop about who will win, what party will prevail and how voters feel about volatile issues. Most commentators and reporters are focused on House and Senate races… but it is likely that gubernatorial campaigns will determine whether infrastructure reform moves forward. States like Georgia, […]

Demand for construction projects is at an all-time high in the U.S.  But, construction firms cannot respond aggressively because of the lack of skilled workers.  With no relief in sight, there is great angst! Spending on new construction projects reached $1 trillion by the end of 2017, but we’ll not see that again in 2018. […]

When it comes to public transportation, the United States lags far behind other countries. Governments in Europe, Asia and Canada invest heavily in public transportation because it is viewed as an essential public good. The U.S. government, however, views public transit a little differently and funding has been inadequate for decades.  As a result, America’s […]

Many parts of the country were already in “full disaster recovery mode” when Hurricane Florence hit the East Coast last weekend. The Texas Gulf Coast, the state of Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands are all still rebuilding after weather-related disasters.  Now the East Coast region resembles a war zone. Flooding has been widespread […]

Weather-related disasters have become all too common. The destruction is horrific and the rebuilding costs are astronomical – not to mention the pain and sadness related to the loss of lives. Last year, weather-related disaster costs exceeded $306 billion. Companies that offer disaster recovery and rebuilding services no longer find their services cyclical.  Instead, demand […]

Unprecedented and rapid growth multiplies challenges for municipal leaders. That could be extremely problematic, but fortunately, cities are not just getting bigger, they are also getting “smarter.” The “smart city” culture continues to sweep the country. Forward-thinking leaders are finding innovative solutions to problems created by unparalleled growth – problems like traffic gridlock, renewable energy, […]

Water utilities in the United States were once operated almost completely by private companies. That began to change when Boston, New York, Los Angeles and other large cities expanded in the late 19th century.  Water utilities failed to manage the increased demand and government leaders stepped up to assume responsibility for adequate water resources. That’s […]

If there’s one thing that government has a lock on, it’s data! The information that government is required to collect, protect and preserve is massive and diverse.  It covers almost everything – student school records from kindergarten through college, every imaginable type of crime statistic, licensing and permitting records, medical records, social program participation, purchasing […]

As city leaders struggle to help their communities become “smart cities,” elected officials also grapple with more basic issues.  Affordable housing is a priority in every city in the country.  America is literally teetering on the brink of declaring an affordable housing crisis. Cities cannot grow – cannot become smart – and cannot function without […]