Mayor-elect Helena Moreno said incoming Chief Administrative Officer Joe Giarrusso’s top priority will be to reform the city’s Department of Safety and Permits, describing its dysfunction as the biggest barrier for businesses trying to open in New Orleans.
Speaking before the New Orleans Chamber of Commerce on Friday, Moreno, who takes office on Jan. 12, said the public should start to see changes in how City Hall issues permits and licenses within the first three months of her administration but cautioned that a complete overhaul of the department will take at least a year.
“It isn’t just quick little fixes here and there. We need a whole revamp of Safety and Permits,” Moreno said…