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.

Surface Storage Skepticism
California has used all its good dam sites, according to this column. And dams are unaffordable.

Friday Eye Candy: The World's Subway Systems, If You Could See Them From Above
Have you ever flown over a city and imagined all the subway lines running beneath the surface?

When Light Rail Comes to Suburban Washington, So Do Bigger Plans
Mountlake Terrace, located about halfway between Seattle and Everett, will soon have new building heights to go along with a new light rail station.

Austin Strategic Mobility Plan Final Draft Released
The first priority of the draft Austin Strategic Mobility Plan is to reduce single-occupant vehicle trips.

In the Shadow of a Rising NFL Stadium, a Scramble to Cap Rent Hikes
The city of Inglewood is the future home of the Los Angeles Rams and the Los Angeles Chargers, but current residents are worried about their future in the city as rents rise and landlords evict tenants.