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.

Traffic Safety Advocates Taking Action Into Their Own Hands
The San Francisco Transformation Agency is tired of watching cyclists and pedestrians die while the city promises more Vision Zero improvements.

New App Rents Driveway Parking Spaces for $1 an Hour
A pair of entrepreneurs has launched an app that allows property owners to rent driveway spaces to people looking for parking. Also, the app helps people find the parking they are looking for.
A New Protected Bike Lane in College Park, Maryland
Greater Greater Washington reports on the newest addition to the streets of Prince George's County.

Spiting Mandatory Inclusionary Housing to Save Mandatory Inclusionary Housing
The question of whether New York City's new mandatory inclusionary housing policy should apply to a 17-story project in Manhattan could have wide-ranging implications.

Department of Justice Steps in to Halt Religious Discrimination Through Zoning
As the U.S. Department of Justice takes action to protect the religious freedoms of Muslims in the United States, zoning decisions have proven a particularly common source of anxiety among Muslim communities.