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.

Seattle Extends Outdoor Dining for a Year, Eases Rules on Heaters for the Winter
Outdoor dining is going to hang out for a bit.

Real Estate Market Setting Records in One of the West's Most Desirable Escapes
Jackson Hole, Wyoming is seeing a pandemic bump in real estate prices that mirrors the experience of vacation and tourism towns all over the United States.

Proposed Citywide Rezoning Would Layer Resilience in New York City
With 520 miles of coastline, New York City is ready to implement the lessons of Hurricane Sandy in the zoning code for the entire city.

'The Affordable City' Offers Solutions for the U.S. Housing Affordability Crisis
An excerpt from the new book by Shane Phillips, "The Affordable City," published by Island Press.

Vancouver Affordable Housing Programs Could Be the Envy of the Continent
It will take a combination of local, provincial, and federal funding, but Vancouver, B.C. recently approved the most ambitious vision anywhere in North America to directly address homelessness and housing affordability challenges.