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.
Everybody Loves Dive Bars—So Why Aren't They Easier to Protect?
An Esquire article about the disappearance of neighborhood dive bars in cities like Chicago asks why people to support their local watering hole.
A Case Study of San Francisco's Evolution—at 10th and Mission
San Francisco Chronicle Architecture Critic John King dives into the economic and planning dynamics behind the remarkable transformation of 10th and Mission in San Francisco.
Salt Lake City Looks West for Downtown Revitalization
The Salt Lake Tribune looked at the development plans made possible by the West Side Master Plan for Salt Lake City.
India Rescinds Tax Break on Cars
The price of cars in the country of India will increase—a lot—as the government rolls back tax breaks.
How the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust Gets the Job Done
In a city of increasingly scarce land, the Los Angeles Neighborhood land Trust has a track record of ushering community gardens and other public health resources in low-income communities.