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.

Pop Quiz: Can You Identify Cities By Density Alone?
A Planetizen editor failed this quiz.

After Decades of Planning: New Life for K Street Transitway in Washington, D.C.
Planners in multiple decades have sought to dedicate center lanes of K Street in downtown Washington, D.C. to high-capacity transit. The mayor recently offered a strong show of support.

Connecting the Issues of Flooding and Affordable Housing in Texas
A study released this week by the Greater Houston Flood Mitigation Consortium ( the University of Houston, the Kinder Institute, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation, and more) raises concerns that new floodplain regulations could harm renters.

Survey Reveals the Market Footprint of Online Grocery Services
How and where are people shopping for groceries online?

New Approach for the Housing Authority of New Orleans Apparent in 600 New Units
The Housing Authority of New Orleans is trying to deliver more affordable housing units by throwing a few market-rate units into the deal.