NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Ahead of Taylor Swift’s concert in New Orleans this past weekend, Governor Jeff Landry called on Louisiana State Police troopers and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries officials to collect homeless people near Caesars Superdome. He ordered the encampment to be cleared.
About 75 people at the illegal camp were moved several blocks away before a judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking enforcement action.
“I’ve heard from city officials that as of this morning there are 62 people in the encampment. That number is higher than before, but people are free to go where they want to go.” said Joe Heeren Mueller of Greater New Orleans Unification.
Unity is an advocacy organization working to provide housing for the city’s homeless. Heeren Muller said Unity is working closely with city leaders to address homelessness. So when Governor Landry’s sweep began last Wednesday before the Elas Tour concert, City Council member Leslie Harris vented her frustration.
“This is really upsetting for people who are already in the camp and are being re-traumatized by this operation just for a concert,” Harris said last week.
A lawsuit was filed on behalf of some of the people at the homeless camp, and a civil court judge ultimately issued a temporary restraining order preventing the state from continuing the sweep. Governor Landry responded by saying the city receives tens of millions of taxpayer dollars to address homelessness, but it is failing.
“Either the city takes care of the problem or we take care of it,” Landry said.
Related news
New Orleans receives $15 million in federal grant to help the city’s homeless population
Homeless camps in Tchopitulas and Calliope cleared, 30 people found shelter
Unity of Greater New Orleans partners with city to provide housing to the homeless
Dr. Robert Collins, a political analyst at Dillard University, said there was a clear communication breakdown between the city and the state.
“Part of the reason for that is simply that the governor is determined to do what he thinks is in the best interest of the city and will do it regardless of the position of the mayor or the position of the City Council,” Collins said. said. Said. “Homelessness is a generational problem, it’s not new. Every mayor has had to contend with it. They just have different beliefs about how to deal with the problem.”
Homeless advocates say the national approach offers no long-term solutions and could spread the problem further.
“Unfortunately, it sometimes happens that communities that focus solely on moving unhoused people from one place to another end up moving them from one inconvenient location to an even more inconvenient location. ” said Heeren Müller. “Places that are close to residential or commercial areas and cannot address homelessness.”
Fox 8 spoke with local residents last week who live near the encampment and support the state’s action. He said such cleanups were premature and welcome, as some homeless people have invaded his property and defecated in public.
Whenever a major event is held in New Orleans, the question of what to do with homeless encampments always comes up. With Super Bowl LIX being held in New Orleans in February, the Greater New Orleans Coalition says the approach to homeless encampments needs to change.
See a spelling or grammar error in your story? Click here to report it. Please also include a heading.
Subscribe to the Fox 8 YouTube channel.
Copyright 2024 WVUE. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
