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.
Bay Area Activists Mobilize to Ban Big-Box Stores
The latest front line of the battle to prevent the spread of big-box stores is the city of Pleasanton, California.
Seattle Mayor Proposes a More Inclusive Department of Neighborhoods
The leadership at the city of Seattle has noticed that the people representing neighborhoods on the city's district councils don't reflect the population of the city.
Why it Matters When Protesters Shut Down Highways
Emily Badger, writing for The Washington Post's Wonkblog, doesn't let planners off the hook for the racist history of highway planning around the country.
'Housing First' Program Reduces Homelessness by 70 Percent in Milwaukee County
The "housing first" approach to homelessness is building a track record of success in Milwaukee.
Study Considers the End of Concrete in Houston's White Oak Bayou
The White Oak Bayou in Houston joins a growing list of urban watersheds that could be freed from its concrete shackles.