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.

San Francisco’s Big Redevelopment Plan Was Paused for Equity Analysis That Never Happened
Checking in with The Hub, a proposed rezoning that would enable a multi-parcel redevelopment at a conspicuous intersection, two years after the city paused the rezoning for additional analysis (spoiler alert: the analysis hasn’t even started).

Austin Overhauling Dangerous Intersections
Austin's Visio Zero program is hard at work, making significant changes to some of the city's most dangerous intersections.

California Makes Planning History, Resets the Housing Status Quo
The California Legislature this week approved a historic package of bills, including a bill that allows affordable housing on commercially zoned properties and another that removes parking requirements near transit.

Philadelphia Plans for a Transit Revolution
Three coordinated, ambitious, simultaneous planning initiatives are underway at SEPTA, the regional transportation authority for Greater Philadelphia.

Final Piece of Atlanta BeltLine’s Route Falls Into Place
The choice of a route for the final segment of the Northwest Trail completes the planned route for the entire 22-mile length of the Atlanta BeltLine.