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.

The High Cost of Sprawl
Low density sprawl stretches the tax dollars of every resident. That fact could be used to support plans for more infill density, according to this article set in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba.

School Proximity and Speeding Tickets: Still Can't Win Safety Improvements
A loss for traffic safety advocates in Seattle.

Queens Losing its Place as a Home for Immigrants
As non-owner-occupied homes increase in number in Queens neighborhoods, it's becoming harder for immigrants to afford a first home.

Sea-Level Rise Report: Bad News for South Florida
A climate change conference in Southeast Florida this week delivers bad news for communities on the coast in South Florida and in the Florida Keys. Some of those communities won't be saved as the receipts for climate change come in.

$9 Billion for Rural 5G
The Federal Communications Commission announced a new 5G Fund this week.