Before Taylor Swift show in New Orleans, homeless encampment forced to move

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Ahead of three Taylor Swift concerts, which could draw about 150,000 visitors to the New Orleans Superdome this weekend, state authorities on Wednesday began clearing an encampment of homeless people. -shelter nearby.

About 75 people who had been living in tents under an overpass would be relocated about two blocks away, Louisiana State Police said. Advocates said the sweep would disrupt progress in finding permanent, long-term housing for those affected. Other homeless people living in the historic and tourist French Quarter would also be moved to the same location, officials said.

Gov. spokesman Jeff Landry said the move was made to address homelessness and safety issues, tying the effort to upcoming concerts and February’s Super Bowl.

“As we prepare to host Taylor Swift and Super Bowl LIX, we are committed to ensuring New Orleans performs its best on the world stage,” Landry Communications Director Kate Kelly said. in a press release published to local media. .

Later, in a statement to The Associated Press, Kelly stressed that the move was only a short distance and that security was a concern. “Only the most dangerous neighborhoods – where homeless people regularly cross busy streets – are closed,” she said.

The first plans to dismantle the encampment near the dome were revealed on Monday. It’s unclear when there were plans to move to the location, about two blocks away.

City Council member Lesli Harris, whose district includes the area, said she and housing advocates were told the decision would be made Thursday. “They’re suddenly here, Wednesday morning, and throwing this at us,” Harris said.

Martha Kegel, executive director of Unity of Greater New Orleans, a nonprofit that seeks permanent housing for homeless people, said it was better to move the encampment rather than disband it as advocates have argued. had initially feared. But she said it’s still an unnecessary and harmful endeavor, as well as a waste of federal and state tax dollars intended to shelter the homeless.

Many people in the camp suffer from mental illnesses and are distrustful of authorities and those who try to help them, Kegel said.

“Some people got scared and left, and that’s not good,” she said. “Because then all the work that we did to assess them and document their disabilities and, you know, work with them on their housing plan has now been in vain. »

Among those who made the decision Wednesday was Terrence Cobbins. Taking a break from collecting his belongings, he said he was told to move due to upcoming concerts. “They’ve never done it before for other people,” he said. “Why Taylor Swift?” He said he was not happy about the disruption: “There’s nothing I can do about it. »

City Council President Helena Moreno released a statement calling for better state-city coordination to combat homelessness.

Kegel said his agency should have been contacted, pointing out that the concert dates were announced months ago. “We could have accomplished what the governor wanted in a humane, rational way and not just push people a few blocks away or scatter them,” she said.

There was no indication that Swift or the NFL — which four years ago hosted the 2025 Super Bowl in New Orleans — had a hand in the decision to move the camp. Email requests for comment were sent to Swift’s representatives and the league Wednesday afternoon.

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Associated Press journalists Gerald Herbert in New Orleans and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge contributed to this report.