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.
Critiquing the First Woonerf in Minneapolis
You be the judge: is this innovative land use in Downtown Minneapolis a woonerf or a glorified parking lot?
A First Look at Proposed Border Wall Designs
The Wall Street Journal received lots of press packages from firms bidding to build the proposed wall between the border of the United States and Mexico. A gallery of renderings—sent in earnest, in protest, or in a crass marketing ploy—follows.
Historic Community Reinvestment Act Review: Wells Fargo Receives 'Double Downgrade'
Wells Fargo received an historic "double downgrade" from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) as a result of its Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) examination.
Debating the Local-Federal Transit Funding Mix
Devolution—or the end of federal funding for local or regional transit projects—is back on the table, thanks to the Trump Administration. Articles in two prominent media outlets debate the idea.
Philadelphia's Freeway Cap Park Almost Fully Funded, Ready to Start Planning
March was a momentous month for the Central Access Philadelphia (CAP) project. The project would build cap over I-95 at Penn's Landing, among other improvements.