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.

Management Shakeup at the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority
The New Orleans Regional Transit Authority (RTA) renewed its contract with Transdev to oversee transit operation, but is also making significant changes to the management structure, including bringing management positions inside the authority.

New Urbanism and Jacobs: A Tangled Disconnect
New Urbanism was in part born of the criticisms of 20th century planning principles popularized by Jane Jacobs, but Jacobs infamously derided the new school of thought.

One Response to Gentrification: Banning Bay Windows and Balconies
Neighborhoods in Philadelphia are undergoing rapid, unprecedented change. Proposed legislation would ban the architectural signifiers of that change.

Watch: 'Revitalization Without Gentrification'
Chuck Marohn of Strong Towns sits down for an interview with Derek Avery, "a community-conscious real-estate developer based in Dallas, TX."

New Research Measures Airbnb's Massive Industry Footprint
The world hasn't been the same since Airbnb launched in 2008 and quickly grew in popularity.