NEW ORLEANS — In 2025, the Super Bowl will come to New Orleans, and all eyes will be on the city. City Leaders are hoping to put our best foot forward, and one plan includes helping those experiencing homelessness.
Housing advocates say the issue should be top of mind regardless.
On February 9th, 2025, the Super Bowl will be held inside the Caesars Superdome. The game will shine a spotlight on the city, as well as a growing problem.
City councilman Oliver Thomas said, "We shouldn't just need the Super Bowl or a major event to clean up the city. To want to deal with the houseless population and to make sure we have affordable housing. because we want to put on a good face for the world to see."
Over the last few years, the number of unhoused people in New Orleans is estimated to have grown by 50%.
Rheneisha Robertson with Covenant House New Orleans said, "It's a critical issue, it's kind of come to a critical point, we're seeing more encampments, we're seeing people more unsheltered on the street."
City council members are now discussing how they intend to help those experiencing homelessness. "We should know where they're going to go, and who are the agencies that are going to provide services for them, how many people are going to be affected," said Councilman Thomas.
Robertson says the shelter is over capacity, meaning there are more people needing shelter than there are beds. "We're talking about young people, young adults, with children under the age of three, coming seeking services, they literally have no where else to go," she said.
She says she's thankful the Super Bowl is triggering City Council to address the affordable housing crisis, but says the discussion should be a daily one.
"I think that it's important anytime of the year because we are dealing with a crisis," she said.
The New Orleans Health Department says the lack of affordable housing, coupled with inflation, is the reason why more people are struggling to maintain a roof over their heads.
Dr. Jennifer Avegno said at Monday's city council meeting, "Some of the goals for 2024, In terms of our healthcare for the homeless we have a great clinic we're about to do some real aggressive work to get our folks direct to housing... we've got some new capacity here at the health department to bring services to people as we are getting them through housing."
Councilman Thomas is calling for a holistic plan that he says could better serve the city well after the big game, saying, "We don't want it pushed in communities at that the level that it's happening downtown. What is the plan to protect parts of Gentilly? What is the plan to protect parts of Algiers? What is the plan to protect parts of New Orleans East... if you push them out of site for Super Bowl that's our concern."
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