Homeless camps around the Superdome in New Orleans have been relocated under orders from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry ahead of three sold-out Taylor Swift concerts this weekend and the Super Bowl next year.
“Let me be clear, we want our streets cleaned up,” Landry told CNN in a statement Friday. “At this point, it makes sense to consolidate the camps into a place where we can house them and get them off the streets.”
Homeless camps around the Superdome in New Orleans have been relocated under orders from Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry ahead of three sold-out Taylor Swift concerts this weekend and the Super Bowl next year.
“Let me be clear, we want our streets cleaned up,” Landry told CNN in a statement Friday. “At this point, it makes sense to consolidate the camps into a place where we can house them and get them off the streets.”
About 75 people were living in tents under an overpass, Louisiana State Police told the Associated Press. They were relocated about two blocks away on Wednesday, state police said.
“As we prepare for Taylor Swift and Super Bowl LIX to come to town, we are committed to ensuring New Orleans puts its best foot forward on the world stage,” a spokesperson for Landry’s office, Kate Kelly, told CNN affiliate WVUE on Thursday.
Landry is working with state police and local officials to “solve the problem” of homelessness in New Orleans, Kelly added.
The effort to move homeless people out of their encampments was partially halted by a court Friday afternoon. Orleans Parish District Court Judge Lori Jupiter granted a temporary injunction to state agencies stating that they “may not destroy or dispose of the property of homeless individuals without due process of law.”
State police were also ordered to provide at least 24 hours’ notice before any further evictions to move people out of encampments. The order will remain in effect until at least Nov. 4.
“Americans have constitutional rights, whether they live in a mansion or a tent. We are pleased that Judge Jupiter has halted the state’s lawless actions,” plaintiffs’ attorney William Most said in a written statement.
The Louisiana State Police and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office are reviewing the temporary restraining order, police spokeswoman Kate Stegall said Saturday.
CNN has reached out to the attorney general for comment on the order.
According to the AP, about 150,000 people are expected to visit the Central Business District and French Quarter this weekend for Swift’s shows at the Caesars Superdome.
A representative for Swift did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Meanwhile, homeless advocates in New Orleans say the move came without notice and has disrupted plans to rehouse people.
“Many of these residents were on track to receive housing next month through Home For Good, a multi-agency effort that has housed nearly 600 people over the past year,” said City Councilwoman Lesli Harris, who represents the district where the Superdome is located in downtown New Orleans.
“The new state-sanctioned camp, located near Home Depot on Calliope, lacks basic health and safety provisions, such as portable toilets or trash receptacles,” Harris said in a social media post Thursday.
Some people living in those communities say their personal items — including medications, clothing and documentation — have been discarded, Harris said.
State police, whose troopers conducted the disbandment, said in a statement Friday that they are “committed” to the safety of everyone, including the homeless community.
The move will provide better access to services and a safer environment, spokesman Stegall told Friday.
“It is important to note that it is illegal to stay on state property, and troopers are committed to ensuring the safety of both the homeless and the broader community while maintaining public infrastructure,” Stegall added.