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.

Friday Happy Hour: Minneapolis Has its First Dog Bar
Unleashed Hounds and Hops is calling itself the state of Minnesota's first dog bar.

Detroit Developers Scaling Back Ambitions
The market and construction costs are taking a toll on development ambitions in Detroit.

Upzoning and Affordability, Explained
Upzoning is gaining popularity among planners and politicians in parts of the country as a tool for affordability. But some opponents of the idea maintain that new density will only make housing affordability worse.

Crafting the Future of Zoning
Lee D. Einsweiler, principal and co-founder of Code Studio, offers practiced insight on the relationship between planning and implementation, as well as guidance for a fulfilling career navigating the two.

Vacancy Taxes as a Response to the Housing Crisis
Could vacancy taxes solve multiple housing challenges at once?