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.
Grant Funding Rewards Innovation in Community Engagement
The Citi Foundation and Living Cities announced $3 million in grant funding to help cities adopt innovative practices in community engagement. Albuquerque, Atlanta, Baltimore, New Orleans, and Seattle will have 18 months to empower citizens.
What the New Census Data Reveals About the Urban Suburban Divide
Newly released population data provides entre for a discussion about the nature of cities.
Glut of Luxury Buildings Blamed for Rising Rents
A Wall Street Journal trend piece argues that a shift toward luxury apartments in cities across the United States is driving up the cost of rent throughout the market.
Questioning the Wisdom of Crowd Funding
After a splashy project recently hit its crowdfunding goals, one write dares to suggest that such fund raising methods might not be the best idea.
Winter's Discontent Found in Architectural Billings Index
The Architecture Billings Index fell for the second time this year, but so far it seems the rough winter is more responsible for the downturn that a potential double dip of the Great Recession.