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.
Smashing Transit Ridership Success in New Zealand
The city of Auckland, in New Zealand, set a goal to double its transit ridership in ten years. With a little under four years left to achieve that goal, the city is already well on its way.
Big Mixed-Use Development Coming to Downtown Phoenix Transit Center
Developers have proposed a large mixed-use project for one of the best development opportunities in Downtown Phoenix.
Programming Over Serenity Favored in 21st Century Park Design
The new urban public realm in the United States is highly programmed—some of that design approach reflects the trends of culture and some reflects a history of violence and bad for PR for parks at the end of the 20th century.
$1 Billion Industry City Redevelopment Caught Up in Post-Amazon Political Drama
Large mixed-use projects aren't getting an automatic greenlight in New York City anymore.
Court Overrules U.S. EPA in Baltimore Runoff Case
Environmentalists challenged the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and won.