Jan 20, 2025 Story by: Editor
Louisiana authorities are conducting sweeps of homeless encampments near the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans as part of preparations for next month’s Super Bowl.
In an executive order issued Monday, Governor Jeff Landry (R) described the initiative as a “strategy on homelessness” aimed at securing public areas ahead of the high-profile event.
The announcement follows a tragic New Year’s Day incident on Bourbon Street, where a man drove a pickup truck into a crowd, killing 14 people.
The executive order allocates emergency funding to assist unhoused individuals living near key locations, including the Caesars Superdome, French Quarter, Interstate 10, and U.S. 90.
Landry cited multiple factors in justifying the measures, including the Bourbon Street attack, a recent fire under the interstate, freezing weather conditions, and damage to a streetcar line.
“It is in the best interest of every citizen’s safety and security to give the unhoused humane and safe shelter as we begin to welcome the world to the City of New Orleans for both Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras,” Landry stated.
Last week, the Louisiana Supreme Court overturned a restraining order that had previously prevented police from clearing encampments in the city. Notices of relocation were distributed to individuals near the stadium, warning of enforcement for noncompliance, according to The Associated Press.
As of Wednesday morning, state police began assisting individuals at the encampments, instructing them to pack their belongings into boxes. They were informed that buses would transport them to a “transitional center,” which the AP reported is a fenced-in warehouse located miles away.
Critics have expressed concern over the state’s approach, describing the costly relocations as a temporary fix rather than a long-term solution. The state is reportedly spending over $16 million on the warehouse facility but is not addressing the need for permanent housing.
According to Landry’s announcement, individuals with financial means may be offered bus or train tickets to relocate “out of state.”
Mike Steele, spokesperson for the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, told the AP that the out-of-state relocation program would be voluntary, although specific details remain unclear.
Landry also highlighted efforts to prioritize housing vouchers for homeless individuals who are employed.
“Our administration will be working with stakeholders around the state to enact legislative reforms that should produce the framework needed to properly move people from homelessness to housing in a coherent, stair-stepped plan,” the governor’s statement read. Source: The Hill
