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.
Staying Healthy While Riding Public Transit in the Pandemic
Despite what the CDC would like to think, some people have no options other than public transit for mobility. CityLab shares the advice of several experts on the reality of public health risk, and how to take precautions, on public transit.
Trump to Suspend Environmental Regulation for Economic Emergency
Reports from the White House indicate that the Trump administration is planning to rollback federal environmental protections to expedite highway and other projects.
The Shifting Geography of Protest
Compared to 1992 in Los Angeles, the protest and civil unrest of 2020 have relocated to neighborhoods farther north, and further entrenched by white wealth.
The Onion Skewers Police Use of Public Transit During Protests
It's possible that bus public transit could some day again be a powerful tool for economic and social mobility.
Black Urbanism at Work
Black Americans have been working hard to build a better world.