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.
Middle Neighborhoods: On the Edge of Greatness or Distress
St. Louis provides the backdrop for a discussion about "middle neighborhoods"—the subject of a 2016 book by Paul C. Brophy.
Silicon Valley's Beleaguered Transit System Getting an Overhaul
Strapped for cash and faced with rapidly declining ridership, the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) is reorganizing its service in the hopes of stopping the bleeding.
'Bikelife' Brings BMX Style to a New Generation
The Wall Street Journal introduces "Bikelife" to the masses, showcasing an another side to bike culture.
Atlantic City Showing All the Signs of Recovery
One of the East Coast's most conspicuous signs of the Great Recession is finally turning itself around.
Detroit's New Q-Line Streetcar Opens to the Public in May*
The long-awaited Q-Line opened to the public earlier today.