Although it is Mardi Gras time in the city, that does not stop day-to-day city business from continuing.
In fact, the city is staying the course on homeless encampment cleanup; with one encampment scheduled to clear just ahead of Fat Tuesday.
However, one councilman wants to make the distinction that this is happening with Mardi Gras and not because of it.
Councilman District D Eugene Green says that an encampment in the Treme neighborhood located between the 1100 and 1200 blocks of Claiborne will be decommissioned by this weekend.
“The timing doesn’t have anything to do with Mardi Gras. The bottom line is that the camp needed to be closed for safety and those who are inside will have been rehoused by this date.”
It may seem that the vigor to close the encampment is because of the Zulu parade, Councilman Greene stresses that the parade really doesn't roll pass the encampment and its timing is more coincidence then strategy.
“The parade does not pass there. There has been some emphasis on the fact that it’s so close to Mardi Gras but it really has nothing to do with it.”
All in all, the councilman says this is about a public safety issue and the decommissioning of the encampments around the city shouldn’t wait.
“The cleanup will definitely happen on Friday. These encampments are a source of disease, drug use, rodent infestation and the like. This should have been closed some time ago.”