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.
Aggressive New 'Housing-First Policy' Proposed in California State Legislature
California State Senator Scott Wiener has established himself as one of the most ardent supporters of pro-housing policy in the state. His announcement this morning continued the theme.
The Rise of the NIMBY Movement, and How Homeowners Came to Own the Whole Neighborhood
The history of how homeowners came to wield expansive power over the development of entire neighborhoods and cities is complex and can't be traced to any one policy or market trend.
John Portman, Who Designed Skyline Icons and Infamous Interiors, Dies at 93
John Portman, an exemplar of post-modern architecture around the world, died on December 29, 2017.
Is the Nation's 'Most Crucial' Infrastructure Project a Pawn in a Political Game?
Observers say the Trump Administration might be threatening to "kill the hostage" in a hardline negotiation tactic on the Gateway project to build a replacement rail tunnel under the Hudson River to connect New York and New Jersey.
Mapzen to Close at the End of January
The mapping community was sad to learn this week that the Mapzen open source mapping platform would cease operation at the end of the month. Many of Mapzen's open source tools will live on, for those that now how to use them.