James Brasuell, AICP is the former editorial director of Planetizen and is now a senior public affairs specialist at the Southern California Association of Governments. James managed all editorial content and direction for Planetizen from 2014 to 2023, and was promoted from manging editor to editorial director in 2021. After a first career as a class five white water river guide in Trinity County in Northern California, James started his career in Los Angeles as a volunteer at a risk reduction center in Skid Row. Prior to joining Planetizen, James worked at the Cal Poly Pomona College of Environmental Design, as an editor at Curbed LA, as editor of The Planning Report, and as a freelance contributor for The Architect’s Newspaper, the Urban Land Institute – Los Angeles Chapter, FORM, KCET, and the California Planning & Development Report.
Making a Place for Virtual Reality in Planning
As virtual reality technology becomes more accessible, it's time to start considering how immersive virtual experiences could help inform visioning process and design decision-making.
Analyzing the Decision to Rewrite the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule
Observers have been pointing out the contradictions in Secretary Ben Carson's justifications for a new approach to the Fair Housing Act.
Making a Regional Map of Walking and Biking Trails
A cross-jurisdictional trail map is harder to find than one might expect. Not so anymore in the Washington, D.C. region.
In Limbo: Philadelphia's Construction Tax for Affordable Housing
It's been radio silence from Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney since the City Council approved a dedicated stream of funding for affordable housing.
New Linkage Fee Approved in South San Francisco
The city of South San Francisco recently approved a linkage fee for commercial developments, following the lead of a few other cities that have decided on linkage fees as a similar mechanism to fund affordable housing.