[Craig]

THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS IS GETTING READY TOPLAY HOST TO THE SUPER BOWL NEXT MONTH – WHICH INCLUDES A COSTLY PLAN TO RELOCATE PEOPLE WITHOUT HOME LIVING IN CAMPS IN THE CITY’S CORE. 

EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING – LOUISIANA AUTHORITIES CLEARED OUT HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS AROUND THE CITY’S SUPERDOME, WHERE THE BIG GAME WILL BE HELD ON SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 9-TH. 

GOVERNOR JEFF LANDRY FRAMED THE MOVE AS A SAFETY MEASURE – PART OF A BIGGER MOVE TO SECURE NEW ORLEANS AFTER THE ISIS-INSPIRED NEW YEAR’S DAY TRUCK ATTACK THAT LEFT 14 PEOPLE DEAD AND DOZENS MORE INJURED IN THE CITY’S FRENCH QUARTER. 

THE CLEARING OF ENCAMPMENTS WAS DECREED USING AN EMERGENCY ORDER ISSUED AFTER THE ATTACK – CALLING FOR SECURING HIGHWAYS AND BRIDGES IN NEW ORLEANS AND MAKING SURE STREETS AND SIDEWALKS ARE CLEAN AND ACCESSIBLE. 

STATE OFFICIALS RELOCATED MANY UNHOUSED PEOPLE WHO WERE DISPLACED BY THE MOVE TO A TEMPORARY WAREHOUSE FACILITY FAR FROM DOWNTOWN THAT COSTS MILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO OPERATE. 

OFFICIALS DESCRIBED THE SETUP AS A SORT OF RESOURCE HUB – OFFERING ROOM FOR PETS AND SHUTTLES TO FERRY PEOPLE TO WORK AND APPOINTMENTS. 

THE TEMPORARY CENTER HAS THE CAPACITY TO HOUSE 200 PEOPLE AND AS OF WEDNESDAY EVENING – 131 PEOPLE WERE STAYING THERE, ACCORDING TO THE WORKFORCE GROUP, WHICH IS RUNNING THE SITE. 

BUT THERE’S A BIGGER PICTURE – THIS IS JUST THE LATEST MOVE IN AN EFFORT THAT STARTED MONTHS AGO WHEN LOUISIANA STATE OFFICIALS FORCIBLY REMOVED AN ENCAMPMENT IN OCTOBER AHEAD OF A TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT AT THE SUPERDOME. 

ADVOCATES FOR THE HOMELESS SAY SOME OF THE PEOPLE DISPLACED BY *THAT* MOVE ENDED UP IN THE AREA UNDER THE ELEVATED STRETCH OF HIGHWAY THAT WAS CLEARED ON WEDNESDAY. 

AND JUST LAST WEEK – THE STATE’S SUPREME COURT OVERTURNED A RESTRAINING ORDER THAT HAD BARRED STATE POLICE FROM CLEARING HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS IN NEW ORLEANS. 

SOME CITY LEADERS AND ADVOCATES SAY THE NEW PUSH UNDERMINES THEIR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS HOMELESSNESS – INTERRUPTING ONGOING EFFORTS TO HELP PEOPLE SECURE PERMANENT HOUSING. 

NEW ORLEANS HAS AN INITIATIVE OF ITS OWN – AIMING TO HOUSE 15-HUNDRED PEOPLE BY THE END OF THE YEAR. 

THE NEW YORK TIMES IS REPORTING MORE THAN 800 PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY BEEN CONNECTED WITH HOUSING AS PART OF THAT EFFORT. 

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