NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Sticking to the deadline, city officials have cleared a second homeless encampment in Tremé. This is something a nearby resident, Ava Foucher, has been praying for.
“I’ve had my faucet broken. I’ve had to get cover to cover my water fountain because they were stealing my water, taking bags outside of my house, I mean everything. Today is the day that all ends,” said Foucher.
Councilman Eugene Green said encampments shouldn’t be anywhere in the city due to health concerns for not only those living around them but within them.
Eules James said this needs to happen but isn’t sure where that leaves those forced to clear out from under the bridge.
“With not so many places to put them in, it just puts a damper in their plans to try to rebuild because they have to rebuild after moving,” said James.
Since the city started clearing the homeless encampments, at least 70 people have been placed in subsidized apartments. Charbonnet Labat Funeral Home CEO Louis Charbonnet believes the city should do the same for those in this case.
“I hope the city is taking care of their problems. Mental problems, drug problems, and so forth. I just don’t want to see them moved and scattered. They need to be housed, they need to be treated, and need to be taken care of,” said Charbonnet.
This is a start but the residents plan to hold city officials accountable in hopes the encampment won’t return.
“I see people now moving their stuff to the next block with plans to come back. They have a guy who has moved his truck over there and has set up shop over there. We need some follow-up to this, some of these people are going to come back out here,” said Safiyyulah Yusuf, a Tremé business owner.
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