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.
The 'Steady Decline' of Suburban America
Al Jazeera created a video that documents the decline of suburbia.
Five Big Ideas About the Future of Transportation and Land Use in Los Angeles
Los Angeles Magazine provided Los Angeles Director of City Planning Vince Bertoni an opportunity to speak in his own words on the ways planners are preparing for the future.
HUD: 'Worst Case Housing Needs' Only Getting Worse
The 2017 "Worst Case Housing Needs" report paints a dire picture of the nation's low-income housing options, as the Trump Administration proposes drastic cuts to federal housing programs.
Congestion Pricing Finds New Life in New York City
Eight years ago, a proposal to charge on drivers entering the most congested parts of Manhattan was soundly defeated when it moved from the city to the state. Now the idea is being revisited again, with support from the governor.
A Hurricane in Tampa Bay Could Surpass Katrina's Destruction
It's been a century since a hurricane larger than category three has scored a direct hit on the Tampa Bay region. If a storm arrives to change that streak of luck, it will find a region severly underprepared to deal with the effects of sea-level rise