NEW ORLEANS — Louisiana State Police and Wildlife and Fisheries agents cleared a homeless camp near Canal Street and Claiborne Avenue on Thursday morning.
State law enforcers spent a second day in a row sweeping sites like this in Downtown New Orleans.
They helped people load up their belongings and took them by golf cart to a designated location on Earhart Boulevard near South Liberty.
“Those men and women of the state police and wildlife and fisheries conducted themselves in the most professional and compassionate manner,” Rep. Alonzo Knox, D-New Orleans said.
Wednesday, Knox whose district includes Downtown New Orleans visited a large homeless camp on Calliope Street as it was being swept.
He wasn’t opposed to the action but said it should have been better coordinated with the city.
City Councilmember Lesli Harris strongly condemned the sweeps, saying they disrupt ongoing local efforts to house the homeless.
“These are people, many of whom had vouchers in hand, who were ready to be moved to housing and now the state has come down and moved them farther down the street without a plan in place to get them housed,” Harris said.
New Orleans councilmember Leslie Harris on issues with moving homeless encampment
The governor’s office ordered homeless sweeps near the Superdome ahead of this weekend’s Taylor Swift concerts.
“For me, whether it’s Taylor Swift or Super Bowl, as long as we are addressing the issue to get people into safe shelter, to get them the necessary treatment they need to address their mental health and their substance abuse, then I’m okay with it,” Knox said.
A state police spokeswoman said relocating the unhoused community to a centralized area provides better access to services and ensures a safer environment.
Rep. Knox revealed the governor’s staff agreed to meet with state and local policymakers to discuss long-term, sustainable solutions for homelessness.
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