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.
Commercial Corridor Going Car Free in L.A.'s Playa Vista
A proposal to block cars from the Runway in Playa Vista reflects a new approach to user experience in retail environments.
Faulty Wiring Needs to be Replaced on All of D.C. Metro's New Subway Cars
The WMATA's Quality Assurance, Internal Compliance & Oversight office delivered bad news to the beleaguered transit service.
Numtots, and Lessons in Coalition Building
The evolution of a planning-focused online group has lessons for the wider world.
New York Approves a New 'Union Square Tech Training Center'
The Union Square Tech Training Center overcame concerns about overdevelopment in the neighborhood.
Judge Clears the Way for Gordie Howe International Bridge in Detroit
The Michigan Department of Transportation ran into a powerful obstacle when acquiring land for a new bridge between Detroit and Windsor, Canada, but a county judge sided with the state.