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.

Watch: Sea Walls and the Future of Resilience
Vox and Curbed provide multi-media coverage of a Staten Island sea wall project as an example of the necessity of resilient infrastructure, and the shortcomings of our ability to predict the needs of the built environments in changed climates.

Youth Ride Transit Free in Victoria, B.C.
The city of Victoria is using parking revenue to fund free transit for everyone under 18 years old.

Amazon Donates $3 Million for Housing in Northern Virginia
The online retail giant also donated funding for educational programs at a nearby university and a nearby community college.

Reviving an Old Regional Rail Route to Spur Tourism in Western Massachusetts
The Berkshire Mountains have long been a popular destination for sightseers, tourists, and weekend warriors. A pilot Amtrak route is designed to attract new waves of New Yorkers to the region.

Pedestrian Planning in Response to Worsening Safety Data
Faced with rapidly deteriorating pedestrian safety statistics, Montgomery County in Maryland is getting to work on a new Pedestrian Plan, following closely on the heels of work completed for the county's Bicycle Master Plan.