New Orleans’ mayor says she’s not using coveted city apartment, but council orders locks changed

By KEVIN McGILL
Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans City Council has voted to change the locks on a coveted city-owned apartment in its latest dispute with Mayor LaToya Cantrell. The mayor’s use of the French Quarter property drew scrutiny and figured in a failed recall effort against Cantrell. The apartment in question is one of 50 units in the 19th-century building known as the Upper Pontalba. Previous mayors have said they had used the apartment for meetings, special events or to house visiting dignitaries. Cantrell came under criticism for her personal use of the unit after a series of reports by WVUE-TV that used public surveillance video to document her time spent there.