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.
Planning Begins for Bus Rapid Transit Route in Milwaukee
A new website and a pair of public meetings kick off the planning process for an East-West bus rapid transit (BRT) route in Milwaukee County.
Connecting the Dots Between Governance and Placemaking
Seattle's beloved Pike Place offers a case study in how careful governance builds the foundation for flourishing places.
Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Wants to End Cash Payments
Boston is the latest of a growing number of cities that could end the use of cash to may for transit tickets. The change does not come without some concern for riders.
Parking Requirements and Housing Prices: More Questions Than Answers in Portland
The city of Portland is considering an expansion of parking requirements in Northwest Portland, much to the chagrin of advocates who predict the new requirements will make housing more expensive.
The Great Debate: How to Attract Investment in Neglected Urban Areas
With the key assumption that more of Philadelphia needs to see the benefits of the recent wave of investment that has come to the city's urban core, politicians at varying levels of government are considering multiple policy options.