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.

$60 a Day to Commute by Lyft. Is it Worth It?
By paying 1,400 employees up to $60 a day, an employer could pay more than $80,000 a day to lessen the number of cars parked at the office.

New Zoning Code Evolves as Affordability Concerns Linger
The city of Des Moines is working on a new zoning code intended to ease the process of developing homes. The proposed regulations have triggered warnings from affordable housing advocates as well as local and nation home builders.

Hepatitis A Outbreak in Philadelphia Leaves City Scrambling
Philadelphia isn't the first city to deal with a Hepatitis A outbreak after wavering on the question of whether to deploy public bathrooms and hygiene stations

Friday Funny: Who's Neglecting Transit Payments Now?
Satirical news website The Onion turns up the heat on New York politicians, this time flipping the tables of the fare evasion debate.

2.5 New Jobs for Every New Home in Boston
The Boston region has achieved a jobs-housing imbalance only bested by the San Francisco Bay Area since the Great Recession.