A New Orleans Civil District Court judge Friday issued a temporary restraining order to stop Louisiana State Police from relocating homeless people in the downtown New Orleans area to a single encampment near S. Claiborne Ave. and the Pontchartrain Expressway.
Judge Lori Jupiter said the state cannot keep people living in any single location, and must tell them they are free to leave.
"The State’s homeless encampment sweeps that started on Tuesday, continued throughout this week, with Louisiana State Troopers picking up citizens who appear to look homeless in the Central Business District and French Quarter and taking them to the concentrated area that the State has designated as a 'sanctioned encampment.' The new State-sanctioned encampment, located near Home Depot on Calliope, lacks basic health and safety facilities, such as port-a-potties or trash cans," said New Orleans City Councilmember Lesli Harris.
"This is a huge legal victory and temporarily stops the State’s inhumane actions. Those affected shared that their personal property was illegally discarded, including identification documents, prescription medicine, clothes, and family memorabilia," she continued.
A Louisiana State Police spokesperson told our partners at NOLA.com that they are reviewing the judge's order with their legal team and the Louisiana Attorney General's office.
Governor Landry said in a statement earlier this week that "the No. 1 issue facing the city of New Orleans right now is the homelessness crisis, and he is working with LSP and local officials to fix this problem."
