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.

82 Votes: The Difference in a Local Election of Direct Relevance to Questions of Planning
One candidate is seen as combative to developers during a housing crisis, and the other is a real estate agent. The race to lead a section of Reno that includes the city's oldest, most historic neighborhoods came down to 82 votes.

Building Rural Resilience
Rural areas have been attracting a lot attention for news sources traditionally devoted to urban news and information. A new report from the Brookings Institution is the latest example.

An Atlas of E-Scooter Policies
Introducing the Micromobility Policy Atlas.

U.S. DOT Releases First-Ever Pedestrian Safety Plan
Record numbers of pedestrians have been killed by drivers in recent years. The federal government says a "team effort" will be necessary to stop the carnage.

The Transit Catastrophe Continues: San Francisco, D.C. Forecast Service Cuts, Layoffs
Advocates have been waiting for the other shoe to drop as transit agencies deal with cratered revenues during the pandemic without support from Congress.