The city of New Orleans would like to know where $10 million of short-term rental fees have gone.
Chief Administrative Officer Joe Giarrusso told members of the New Orleans City Council that is how much is unaccounted for as the Moreno administration continues going over the city's financial ledger with a fine-tooth comb.
Fees paid by renters of short-term properties are supposed to go into a fund dedicated to code enforcement.
Giarrusso said budget documents showed that fund had a $10 million balance to start the year, but he and his staff recently discovered that the account is, in fact, empty.
"Apparently the last administration just considered that like general fund money, and just constantly moved it around," Giarrusso told NOLA.com after meeting with council members.
Money cannot be withdrawn from that account without city council approval.
Council President J.P. Morrell says there no votes on that at all last year.
