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.
Toronto's Biggest Story of 2019: Mississauga
The city of Mississauga is undergoing a transformation so complete that one Toronto-based write said the suburb is the city's issue of the year.
Rents Grow Fastest in Houston's Opportunity Zones
Rents have grown as much as 28 percent in the last year over the past year in the neighborhood of Midtown in Houston.
The Environmental Injustices Plaguing Detroit
Despite the decades-long activities of environmental justice advocates in the Motor City, low-income and people of color bear the brunt of pollution in Detroit.
A New Strategy for Attracting Big City Millennials: Build Ax-Throwing Bars
Two New Jersey suburbs of New York City are taking an interesting approach to attracting New York City Millennials looking for refuge from the high cost of rent in the Big Apple.
The Death and Life of Great American…Suburbs?
Long considered beneath serious attention by design and planning elites, suburban settlements in the United States are emerging as key arenas to address crucial environmental, economic, and social issues.