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.
Four Steps to Enhanced Crowdsourcing
The second "Empowered Design, By 'the Crowd'" article offers insight into making the most out of new crowdsourcing resources.
Business Travelers Prefer Uber Over Rental Cars—Do Planners?
Change is afoot for transportation around destinations like Southwest Florida. Are cities like Tampa still planning too much for the old rental car model, and not for a future of transportation network companies, carsharing, and self-driving cars?
Evansville, Indiana Looking to Land Bank to Solve Blight Problem
The city of Evansville will consider in the coming weeks a proposal to empower its land bank to take title and demolish roughly 200 properties. A recent report paid for by the city only bolsters the argument in favor of the action.
Seattle's Inclusionary Zoning Proposal Falling Short of Expectations
A critical component of the landmark and controversial Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) platform, announced first in July 2015.
After the Scourge: Regions Struggle to Sustain Plantlife
The Chicago Region Trees Initiative provides a regional model for planting and protecting a sustainable natural environment in and around cities and communities.