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 Blight-Busting Tactic That Pays Huge Dividends for Real Estate Values
Neighborhoods achieve significantly more improvements by rehabilitating vacant rowhouses than by introducing new construction.
The 'Floating City' of the Silicon Valley's Dreams
The country of French Polynesia is on the verge of permitting a floating city, funded by wealthy Silicon Valley interests and sustained by utopian dreams.
Friday Eye Candy: The Poetry of the Urban
A survey of the long history of poetry connected of the urban experience—from the 18th century to the Beat poets of the 20th century and the Hip Hop artists of today.
California Legislation Recognizes Natural Environments as Water Infrastructure
AB 2480, recently signed into law by California Governor Jerry Brown takes a small but important step toward making better use of natural systems for water management infrastructure.
Proposed Federal Rule Could Consolidate 140 Metropolitan Planning Organizations
The Federal Highway Administration and the Federal Transit Administration are considering reforms that would enact a sweeping reform of metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs).