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.

Home Improvements Expected to Slow Substantially in the Upcoming Year
It will be a quick transition from record spending on home renovations to a steep decline in spending, according to a new report.

As More 'Superstar' Cities Emerge, the Gap With Other Cities Grows
Some cities, like Nashville, have been keeping pace with the economic growth of more internationally renowned cities like San Francisco and Seattle.

Advocates Press for Harder Questions While Pittsburgh Experiments With Self-Driving Cars
Five self-driving car companies are currently operating in Pittsburgh, without much critical rigor in asking about the consequences of the technology to the city.

Tampa's 'All for Transportation' Sales Tax Clears Post-Election Obstacles
The "All for Transportation" sales tax in Hillsborough County, Florida, survived a revolt and legal challenge from conservative county commissioners, despite earning 57 percent of the public vote.

Transit Oriented Development Shifts Into High Gear Near BART Stations in the Bay Area
Transportation and land use are being considered together at a new scale in the Bay Area, as transit oriented development pops up next to BART stations all over the region.