NEW ORLEANS — The City of New Orleans is trying to find solutions to the City's homeless problem. A business owner on Claiborne Avenue says he's seeing more and more homeless camps, while the Salvation Army says fewer people are seeking help.
Concerns over those experiencing homelessness were on the agenda at City Council.
Taylor Diles from the New Orleans Health Department told the council on Wednesday, “In the Greater New Orleans area 364 people this past February were living unsheltered. October 2, the weekly shelter report came out and there were 381 beds available in area shelters.”
But a survey by the New Orleans Health Department showed many people are not interested in that option. Many citing personal preference or concerns for safety and living conditions.
Diles saying, “Perhaps even more troubling we find that 66% we spoke to are not interested in staying at a shelter in New Orleans.”
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For the City and those who support the homeless population, solutions have been tough to come by. Major Area Commander Chris Thornhill from the Salvation Army says shelters expect more people will seek help as it gets colder.
“Single men come through our doors, as well as single mothers and single women… we are starting to see a slow uptick in single fathers," said Thornhill.
He went on to say, “If you’re used to not seeing any and you see one that’s a huge increase in homelessness.”
Carbonnet Funeral Home sits opposite many homeless camps underneath the overpass on Claiborne Ave. Compny president Louis Charbonnet says the camps are now hurting business.
“I am sympathetic, I can understand that some people are homeless and they need a place to stay, but there are many programs the city has and they are aware of them, but they don’t want to go," said Charbonnet.
He went on to say, "Its growing by the day, every day we will see a new tent. I mean they have generators, it's little villages, it's little firepits they are doing.”
“Around their tents is every bodily function you could think of the human body could do, they’re performing in that area.”
A City ordinance restricts those camps from just being removed, the Health Department saying, “On public property there has to be notice 24 hours ahead of time.”
Charbonnet says, “I have reported to the health department, I have reported to sanitation, I reported to code enforcement, I have gone to city councilman, I have gone to the mayor, I just don’t know where else to go to.”
As for Louis, he says no one wants to come to an unclean neighborhood.