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.

Traffic Safety Campaign Pushes Sidewalk Projects and Pedestrian Safety
An affluent suburb located north of Atlanta is asking pedestrians to play a role in traffic safety.

Ideas for Improving the Oldest Public Park in the U.S.
A windfall of $28 million will be spent to repair and renovate Boston Common—public input into the priorities of that spending would be appreciated.

A Dire Warning About Sea-Level Rise in South Florida
A shift is underway on Wall Street—investors are acknowledging the risks of climate change. A recent credit-ratings report on the bridge system connecting Miami to Key Biscayne provides a stark example of the new way of thinking.

Report: Impact Fees Add 18 Percent to the Cost of Housing in California
Development impact fees in California triple the national average. A bill in the State Legislature would reform the state's development fees, as one measure in an effort to build more housing in the state.

Uniform By Design: The Similarities of Suburbs
A Vox video digs into the history of how suburbs came to resemble each other.