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.
Legislation to Lift Local Prohibition of Middle Housing Proposed in Washington State
Washington State is the latest example of a state that wants to preempt local planning law to make it easier to add housing units to single-family residential properties all over the states.
The Latest Trend in Redevelopment: Parking Lot to Multi-Family Residential
Real estate and investment experts see more and more urban parking lots as attractive locations for redevelopment—usually for multi-family residential buildings.
Action Needed to Match Vision Zero Ambition in Philadelphia
Philadelphia's succeeded at reducing traffic fatalities in the first years after adopting a Vision Zero goal. That success didn't last, and one writer is calling for the city to back up its ambitious talk with actions.
Coming Soon: Trump's Revised Fuel Efficiency Standards
The Trump administration has submitted revised fuel efficiency standards to the White House Office of Management and Budget for a final review. If approved, the rule would overturn a key environmental initiative of the Obama administration.
The Brooklyn-Queens Streetcar Plan Won't Die
The Brooklyn-Queens Connector, known as the BQX streetcar, was spotted making plans on the Internet earlier this month.