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.
'Big, Excellent News' for Dallas Preservationists
The Dallas City Council surprised everyone by reversing early indications of reticence and giving full support to the recommendations of the Historic Preservation Task Force.
High Bridge Opens to Pedestrians and Cyclists for the First Time Since 1970
Culminating an effort launched in 2007 by the Bloomberg Administration, the public will now be able to walk between the Bronx and Manhattan on the High Bridge.
A Progress Report for the New Markets Tax Credit Program
During the ups and downs of recovery, acquiring and making the most of funding has been critical for distressed communities. A new report details the recent results from one such source, the New Markets Tax Credit program.

Washington D.C. Downzones to Curb Pop-Ups in Rowhouse Neighborhoods
Owners of rowhouse properties in Washington D.C. will no longer be able to add height and density by building pop-ups. The construction provoked the ire of aesthetically minded critics and, now, the regulatory controls of the District's zoning code.
McKinney: Public, Private Divide Often Follows Race
Urbanism media noted the growing privatization of recreation facilities, such as pools, as one of the lessons to be taken from a controversial encounter between police and black teenagers in McKinney, Texas over the weekend.