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.
Law Prohibiting Bike Lanes Blockers Key to Creating a Liveable City
The city of Rochester, New York, decided to take legal action that ensures the city is as safe for people on bikes as intended.
Debating the Future of One of Seattle's Pedestrian-Friendly Gems
The corridor along University Way is currently exempt from the wave of upzoning implemented by the city's Mandatory Housing Affordability program, but that exemption is only temporary.
Once Abandoned, Now Accelerated: Columbia River Crossing Replacement Building Momentum
A project to build a new bridge between Portland and Washington State, once scuttled by Washington lawmakers, now has an aggressive timeline. There was some financial pressure involved in getting the project to its current status.
Google's Plan for the Future of its Campus Would Shift the Expectations for Corporate Campuses
Fast Company details the ambitions of a plan that would add thousands of homes, open space, and commercial development to the home of Google in the Silicon Valley.
Ten Years of the High Line—Time to Reflect
As the High Line turns ten, a debate about the costs and benefits of urban revitalization continues.