Ed Blakely will start in January 2007 as the city's executive director for recovery management. Previously, the chairman of urban and regional planning at the University of Sydney, Australia, Blakely built his reputation in Oakland and L.A. after earthquakes.

Blakely sounds like he may be on to someting. He plans to ride through the city on a bike to get a feel for the neighborhoods.  He is initially promoting use of the NORA land bank to promote a series of voluntary land swaps. He's willing to start with demonstration projects.before summer.