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.
Air Rights Deal to Renovate Boston's Back Bay Station Includes Skyscraper
Boston is in the process of effectively privatizing the management of its largest transit hubs. The latest example: a deal that would renovate MBTA’s Back Bay Station in exchange for air rights for a skyscraper above the station.
Ballot Measure would Tax House Flipping in San Francisco
Eric Young reports on a "Stop the Flip" ordinance that will appear on the November ballot in San Francisco.
Vacant Properties Linger Post-Sandy in Queens and Rockaway
Still plagued by home left vacant after Hurricane Sandy, a politician and local activists are pushing for greater action to clean up the blighted properties.
Can Kickstarter Funding Help Achieve the 'Breakwater Chicago' Dream?
The strange-but-true idea for "Breakwater Chicago" has two things going for it so far—attention from the press and $38,180 in Kickstarter funding.
One Hundred Years of Exposure
An interview with artist and critic Jonathon Keats, who recently implemented a project in Berlin where participants will anchor pinhole "century cameras" around the city to record its changes over a period of 100 years.