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.
Looking Back at the APA's HUD Secretary's Opportunity and Empowerment Award
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is celebrating its 50th year. To help commemorate the occasion, the American Planning Association looks back on its partnership with HUD.
Breaking Down the Seattle City Council's 'War on Density'
Recent legislation considered (with some approved) by the Seattle City Council Planning, Land Use, and Sustainability Committee takes anti-development politics to a new level in a city reacting to years of growth.
With Planning Approval Comes New Value: How Can Communities Gain Too?
A post by CityMetric uses examples from the United Kingdom to make the case for new approaches to value capture.
Friday Funny: Which City Should Be Home to a Real-Life Jurassic Park?
CityLab stages a humorous competition for the location of a likely-to-go-horribly-wrong tourist attraction.
What Cities Can Learn From Companies Migrating to Downtown
The Core Values: Why American Companies are Moving Downtown report, released on June 18, 2015, provides in-depth analysis of a powerful trend of companies investing in urban downtowns.