U.S. Conference of Mayors Launches National Affordability Tour

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Sep 25, 2026, 15:36 ET

Four-city tour will bring together mayors, local leaders and community voices to spotlight solutions to the rising cost of everyday life

SAN DIEGO, Sep 25, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Conference of Mayors today announced a four-city national tour focused on solutions to one of the most pressing challenges facing American families: the rising cost of everyday life. Launching October 8 in Albuquerque, the USCM Affordability Tour will bring mayors together with local leaders, community organizations and residents to examine how rising costs are affecting families and spotlight practical solutions cities are advancing to make life more affordable. Each stop will focus on major strains on household budgets — childcare, housing, healthcare and food — and identify approaches that can be replicated or advanced in communities across the country.

"As mayors, affordability is the issue we hear about everywhere we go. Families are working hard, but the rising cost of housing, groceries, childcare and healthcare is making it harder to get by and get ahead," said U.S. Conference of Mayors President Todd Gloria, Mayor of San Diego. "Mayors see these pressures up close, but we also see practical solutions that are working in our communities. This tour is about learning from one another, spotlighting what works and finding ways to make everyday life more affordable for American families."

San Diego Mayor and USCM President Todd Gloria will join fellow mayors at the following stops:

October 8^th – Albuquerque, NM – childcare affordability with Mayor Tim Keller
October 14^th – Austin, TX – housing affordability with Mayor Kirk Watson
October 21^st – Columbus, OH – healthcare affordability with Mayor Andrew J. Ginther
October 29^th – Atlanta, GA – food affordability with Mayor Andre Dickens

The tour – announced during the Conference's Fall Leadership Meeting in San Diego – comes as new research commissioned by the U.S. Conference of Mayors underscores the scale of the challenge. According to the survey of 113 mayors, 96% say their residents are very or extremely concerned about the affordability crisis. Additionally, nearly 93% of mayors said the cost of living in their cities has worsened over the last year with 39% saying it has worsened significantly. Almost all mayors (96%) agreed that housing costs have driven the affordability crisis. Not only are individuals struggling to make ends meet, but cities are struggling to meet additional demand for assistance programs while lowering taxes and fees to offer relief. The data reinforce the need for federal action to support local efforts to lower everyday costs that are putting significant pressure on household budgets.

Watch: Mayor Gloria discusses the survey's findings on CNN and NBC.

The survey was conducted from August 18 through September 4, 2026. In total, 113 cities from 39 states and Puerto Rico responded to this survey, representing approximately 32.1 million Americans. The full results of the survey can be found here.

Note to producers, editors and hosts: Additional details and participants for each tour stop will be announced in the weeks ahead. For more information on interview opportunities, please contact Sara Durr at [email protected].

About the United States Conference of Mayors – The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are more than 1,500 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Follow our work on X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Threads, Substack, and TikTok.