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.

Report: Lack of Apartments Contributes to the Housing Affordability Crisis
It's going to take "radical policies" and "political courage" to overcome the housing shortage in California, according to a recent working paper, but they will be necessary to overcome the negative consequences of the planning and zoning status quo.

Feds Release Capital Investment Grants for Three Rail Transit Projects
Three major public transit projects in the western United States received a major infusion of funding from the federal government this week.

Research Documents the Negative Externalities of 20th Century Freeway Planning
According to a newly released working paper, people in 20th century noticed the air and noise pollution and severed neighborhoods caused by freeways, and many of those people chose to move to the suburbs rather than deal with the nuisance.

Bill Would Spend Five Percent of All Federal Highway Grants on Complete Streets
New federal legislation would establish a national complete streets program.

Coming Soon: A New Transit Map for Philadelphia
Transit is getting a new look.