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.
Critiquing Minneapolis' Pedestrian Infrastructure Efforts
Is a city with its own fair share of high profile projects on the way doing enough to ensure the safety of pedestrians?
Houston's Big Year in Transit Pays Off in New Ridership
It was a big year for transit in Houston: two new light rail lines launched operation and the regional bus system got a makeover on the high frequency grid model. Ridership is also up.
10 Best Bike Lanes of the Year Announced
The victories keep piling up for the advocates, bureaucrats, and politicians fighting for more and better bike infrastructure.
Gentrification Fears Spreading in Houston
In a state famous for affordability, people are beginning to ask a question more commonly associated with San Francisco or New York: Is Houston becoming home only to the affluent and the elite?
Washington, D.C. Renovations a Peculiar Shade of 'Flip-House Gray'
Washington, D.C. is awash in a layer of gray paint that has followed a wave of renovations that have followed the rising cost of housing. Washington City Paper peals away the paint to explore the origins and implications of the fad.