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.

Largest Condo High-Rise Since the Recession Planned for Chicago's Michigan Ave
At 74 stories and 421 units, 1000M will be the largest condo tower built in Chicago since the Great Recession decimated the local real estate development industry.

McMimpact Fee Proposed
Should there be an extra fee for property owners who tear down an existing single-family home and replace it with a much larger, more expensive single-family home?

Report: Housing Choice Vouchers Fall Short of Intended Goals in Houston Region
The Housing Choice Voucher program is intended to provide new opportunities for low-income Americans to live in higher-priced neighborhoods, but few recipients of vouchers are taking full advantage of those opportunities.

Cleveland Launches Tree Replenishment Program
The city of Cleveland will hope to reap environmental and economic rewards by spending $1 million a year to regrow its tree canopy.

Rethinking Speed Limits in the Twin Cities
Minneapolis and St. Paul are celebrating their newfound local control on matters of traffic safety be reconsidering the speed limits on city-owned streets and roads.