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.

Bus Priority Zones Get Moving in Chicago
A program championed by Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot to speed up bus service has new monentum from funding provided by Chicago's new fee on ride-hailing trips.

500 New Housing Units Added to Downtown Evanston
Two new high-rise residential buildings in Evanston, Illinois have added a glut of supply to the downtown market.

Transit-Oriented Housing Development Plan Falls Flat in San Francisco
The Home SF plan was supposed to usher in a wave of new housing development on transit corridors in San Francisco. Now, 2.5 years later, that promise might finally be ready to become reality.

Local Curbed Sites Shut Down in D.C., Seattle, New Orleans, Philadelphia
In a blow to local news, a popular planning, development, and real estate platform winnows its local offerings.

2019 Bicycle Friendly States Rankings Released
The Pacific Northwest is leading the way for bicycle safety at the state level, according to the latest report from the League of American Bicyclists.