Robbie Sequeira

Robbie Sequeira

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Robbie Sequeira is a staff writer covering housing and social services for Stateline. He's covered a variety of issues, from decisions in state and local government to the everyday lives of residents in Minnesota, Iowa, Georgia and his hometown, The Bronx. In his six-year career, Sequeira has earned awards for reporting on labor issues, homelessness and politics. A massive Yankee and reality TV show fan, Robbie is always eager to connect with those who have a tip or a story to share.

Despite record low in veteran homelessness, half the states saw increases
Stateline

Despite record low in veteran homelessness, half the states saw increases

Aug 20, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
Veteran homelessness dipped slightly from 2024 to 2025, according to the latest results from the January 2025 point-in-time count. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development counted 32,495 veterans experiencing homelessness, 387, or 1.2%, fewer than the previous year...
Cities turn to AI to speed housing permitting
Stateline

Cities turn to AI to speed housing permitting

Aug 20, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
New housing projects can sometimes stall out as a developer applies to city or county planning boards and goes through cycles of inspections, reviews and approvals. Now, cities are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence to address one of the most...
Schools spend billions on AI, but struggle to figure out what’s worth it
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Schools spend billions on AI, but struggle to figure out what’s worth buying

Aug 12, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
As a new school year begins, some classrooms may use artificial intelligence tools to flag a student struggling with classwork, track attendance or try to raise reading scores. But as school districts make decisions on which tools are safe and...
Education Department hands more states flexibility with federal dollars
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Education Department hands more states flexibility with federal dollars

Aug 07, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
The Trump administration is increasing its efforts to turn more control of federal education money to the states as it continues working to dismantle the Education Department. Six states have received waiver s allowing them to consolidate more than $109...
States begin banning ‘surveillance pricing’ that uses personal data to charge more
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States begin banning ‘surveillance pricing’ that uses personal data to charge more

Aug 04, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
Three states this year became the first ones to enact laws restricting companies from using personal data such as browsing history or shopping habits to set individualized prices on goods and services, a practice known as surveillance pricing. The laws...
Most states temporarily house foster children in hotels, offices
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Most states temporarily house foster children in hotels, offices

Jul 30, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
More than 9,000 children in foster care had to temporarily stay in hotels, office buildings and other potentially unsafe settings when states couldn’t find suitable places for them, according to a new federal audit. The inspector general’s office of the...
Landmark federal housing law tries new ways to boost local building
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Landmark federal housing law tries new ways to boost local building

Jul 24, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
Championed as one of the most consequential and bipartisan federal housing laws in decades, the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act enacted this month makes significant changes across federal housing policy. Included in the 139-page law are a host of...
States move to limit classroom screen time
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States move to limit classroom screen time

Jul 23, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
After school cellphone bans passed many statehouses with bipartisan support in recent legislative sessions, state lawmakers are turning to legislation governing how long students should spend looking at screens. This year, four states passed laws restricting or regulating screen time...
Trump administration targets state AI laws over ideology
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Trump administration targets state AI laws over ideology

Jul 10, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
The Trump administration is continuing its pushback against state artificial intelligence laws that it views as ideologically biased, proposing a new Federal Trade Commission policy. The proposed policy statement, which is open for public comment through July 31, would affect...
States try new measures to get chronically absent students back to class
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States try new measures to get chronically absent students back to class

Jul 08, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
This year, at least six states enacted laws trying to reduce the number of students chronically absent from school. The measures include requiring monitoring of absences and publicly releasing data, developing new guidance on the best ways to address the...
To promote more housing, cities and states target parking minimums
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To promote more housing, cities and states target parking minimums

Jul 08, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
In 1923, the city of Columbus, Ohio, enacted the first known off-street parking requirement for new apartment buildings. The city’s rules got stricter over time. In 1954, a Columbus apartment building with 100 one-bedroom units had to have at least...
Feds encourage public housing authorities to impose work rules, time limits
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Feds encourage public housing authorities to impose work rules, time limits

Jun 30, 2026
Robbie Sequeira
Dozens of public housing authorities, tribes, property owners and community groups have joined a new coalition organized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to promote work requirements and time limits for people who receive federal housing help...