New Orleans is the rightful owner of the Pontalba apartment building, despite claims to the contrary from the mayor’s office.
The upper tall building is said to contain an apartment that is frequently used by the mayor and has been scrutinized in the past for that usage.
The mayor’s office of communications director, Gregory Joseph, initially claimed that it was unsuitable for the mayor’s office to tell the French Market Corporation (FMC) how to operate their facility and that the FMC owned the property.
However, the annual comprehensive financial report for the city of New Orleans lists the city as the owners of FMC, with all board members appointed by the mayor.
In light of these findings, the mayor has been asked if she will advise her appointees to follow the attorney general’s request.
The issue surrounding the apartment and the mayor’s usage is of concern, as the city needs to be good stewards with the government’s money and obtain fair market value for all publicly owned properties.
Further updates on the issue will be provided later on by WDSU News.
