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.
Seattle Has a Low-Cost Plan for 250 Blocks of New Sidewalks
Seattle political leadership recently announced an ambitious plan to build more sidewalks with less money.
Track the Cycles of New York's Skyscraper Habit
Much has been made of New York's current boom in high-rise construction. A new interactive feature by the Council of Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat allows for some historic perspective on the city's penchant for building skyward.
The Recently Opened Manayunk Bridge in Philadelphia Is a Big Deal
As a symbol of a changing economy and a changing city, the rails-to-trails conversion of the Manayunk Bridge in Philadelphia bears close scrutiny.
The New Landscape of the Housing Crisis
The housing crisis that made headlines during the Great Recession is proving far more persistent than the common narrative about over-priced coastal market allows. A new report by the Center for American Progress uncovers the facts on the ground.
How Parking Management Can Help Cities Grow Smarter
An excerpt from the introduction to "Parking Management for Smart Growth," by Richard W. Willson, Ph.D., FAICP. Here Willson argues for parking management strategies as a critical tool for communities to get more out of the space devoted to cars.