Planning Report Interviews Ed Blakely About New Orleans Recovery

Noted L.A.-area scholar Ed Blakely helped Oakland and L.A. rebound from earthquakes; now he's turning to the resurrection of New Orleans. The Planinng Report features an interview.

2 minute read

January 11, 2007, 1:00 PM PST

By Chris Steins @planetizen


Though the devastation in New Orleans took place a continent away from L.A., the city of New Orleans has enlisted Southern Californian Ed Blakely to leads its recovery efforts. A former professor at USC and UC-Riverside and longtime advocate of smart growth, Blakely led recovery efforts following earthquakes in both L.A. and the Bay Area. Blakely recently spoke with Th Planning Report about his new appointment as Recovery 'Czar' and his strategy for reviving New Orleans.

Among the interview questions:

"TPR: What was the nature of your job interview with New Orleans Mayor Nagin? What did you need to hear from him? What authority did he grant you?

I told him what needed to be done, and he pretty much listened and asked me what authorities I would need to do it. I told him I needed full authority of his office and full authority to call my own shots and hire my own staff and use funds to do this job, and he just said, yes, you got it.

I told him the first thing we had to do was get out of the planning mode and get into the action mode. We have to start building some things in order to restore public confidence. We have to set up a system so that people who want to come back can come back somewhere in New Orleans as soon as possible. It might be in stages. They might come back to one area of the city, and then they might move into other neighborhoods in a year or two."

[Editor's note: The full text of this article is available to subscribers, or for a modest fee.]

Wednesday, January 10, 2007 in The Planning Report

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Ken Jennings stands in front of Snohomish County Community Transit bus.

Ken Jennings Launches Transit Web Series

The Jeopardy champ wants you to ride public transit.

April 20, 2025 - Streetsblog USA

View of Washington state capitol dome in Olympia, Washington at golden hour.

Washington Legislature Passes Rent Increase Cap

A bill that caps rent increases at 7 percent plus inflation is headed to the governor’s desk.

1 hour ago - Washington State Standard

Low view of Glendale Narrows section of Los Angeles River with concrete bottom and cloudy storm sky over head.

From Planning to Action: How LA County Is Rethinking Climate Resilience

Chief Sustainability Officer Rita Kampalath outlines the County’s shift from planning to implementation in its climate resilience efforts, emphasizing cross-departmental coordination, updated recovery strategies, and the need for flexible funding.

2 hours ago - The Planning Report

Grandparents sitting on bench with young girl and boy, girl holding ball and boy holding ukelele.

New Mexico Aging Department Commits to Helping Seniors Age ‘In Place’ and ‘Autonomously’ in New Draft Plan

As New Mexico’s population of seniors continues to grow, the state’s aging department is proposing expanded initiatives to help seniors maintain their autonomy while also supporting family caregivers.

3 hours ago - Source NM