Months after the New Orleans City Council passed a law to take the mayor's French Quarter apartment away, and voted to override her veto, the French Market Corporation still doesn't have access to the Pontalba residence.
Council Vice President J.P. Morrell sent a letter the Mayor LaToya Cantrell.
"Dear Madame Mayor: On August 24, 2023, the City Council overruled your veto of Ordinance Cal. No. 34.309," J.P. Morrell wrote
He laid out how the law now requires that “all units” within the building be leased “to the public."
Six month later, that still has not happened.
Morrell says demands that the mayor's office and all other city departments take the necessary steps to transfer control of the apartment "have proven fruitless."
He told the mayor that a valuable public asset cannot remain dormant.
"Six months to surrender occupancy of the property and to come into compliance with the law seems more than reasonable."
The council V.P. called upon the mayor to comply and turn over the keys, or face eviction.
"If I do not hear back from you with confirmation that the handover is complete or receive a firm date for completion of removal by the Council agenda deadline on March 4 at noon, then I have little choice but to file a motion to bring this matter to resolution, including a directive that the City Attorney institute eviction and/or mandamus proceedings."
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