NEW ORLEANS (AP) — As New Orleans prepares for three highly anticipated Taylor Swift concerts, expected to attract around 150,000 attendees to the Superdome this weekend, state officials have started relocating a nearby homeless encampment.
Approximately 75 individuals living in tents under an overpass will be moved just two blocks away, according to the Louisiana State Police. Advocates for the homeless are concerned that this action could hinder efforts to secure long-term, stable housing for those affected. Additionally, officials indicated that others without shelter from the historic French Quarter — a neighborhood crucial to the city’s tourism — would also be moved to the same location.
Governor Jeff Landry’s spokesperson stated that the decision was made to enhance safety and address homelessness, connecting the move with the upcoming concerts and the Super Bowl scheduled for February. Kate Kelly, Landry’s communications director, emphasized the importance of presenting New Orleans in the best light for these significant events. “As we prepare for Taylor Swift and Super Bowl LIX, we are committed to ensuring New Orleans puts its best foot forward when on the world stage,” Kelly said in a statement to local media.
Martha Kegel, the executive director of Unity of Greater New Orleans — a nonprofit focused on finding permanent housing for the unsheltered — expressed mixed feelings. While she viewed the relocation as preferable to a complete disbandment of the encampment, she criticized it as unnecessary and an inefficient use of state and federal tax dollars intended for sheltering the homeless. Kegel pointed out that many individuals within the camp struggle with mental health issues and often distrust authorities. “Some people were frightened and left, and that’s not good,” she remarked. “The effort we made to assess them and document their disabilities, along with creating housing plans, has now been wasted.”
AP’s Lisa Dwyer reports that homeless advocates in New Orleans are upset about the forced relocation before the Taylor Swift concert.
Later, Kelly reiterated in a statement to The Associated Press that the relocation was necessary due to safety concerns, noting that “Only the most dangerous blocks — where homeless regularly walk across busy streets — are being shut down.” Initial announcements regarding the disruption of the encampment surfaced on Monday, although the timeline for relocating those affected remains unclear.
Lesli Harris, a City Council member representing the area, voiced frustration about the suddenness of the decision. She noted that housing advocates had been informed of a scheduled move for Thursday instead. “They’re suddenly here, on Wednesday morning, springing this on us,” Harris expressed.
Among those being relocated was Terrence Cobbins, who took a moment to gather his belongings. He shared his disbelief about the move being tied to the upcoming concerts. “They ain’t never did it before for other people,” Cobbins questioned. “Why Taylor Swift?” Despite his frustration, he stated, “I can’t do nothing about it.”
The City Council President, Helena Moreno, issued a statement urging better coordination between state and city officials to effectively tackle homelessness. Kegel suggested that her organization should have been consulted well ahead of time, as the concert dates had been known months prior. “We could have accomplished what the governor wanted in a humane and rational way and not just pushed people a couple of blocks away or scattered them,” she commented.
There has been no indication that Swift or the NFL, which previously scheduled the 2025 Super Bowl for New Orleans, influenced the decision to move the homeless encampment. Requests for comments were sent to representatives of both Swift and the league on Wednesday afternoon.
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Associated Press journalists Gerald Herbert in New Orleans and Sara Cline in Baton Rouge contributed to this report.
