Sweep away the problem

[New Orleans, Louisiana USA] Today New Orleans police conducted a sweep from St Charles Avenue to Claiborne along Calliope where the homeless population lives in tents under an elevated expressway. A sweep is where they clean out all the homeless from their campsites and return the area to a clean vacant lot. The excuse for the sweep was that the camps attract rats, are in the way of termite exterminators, campers have it too good being fed leftover’s from fancy restaurants and the camps are a public health hazard.

Let us not forget that the opening PRESEASON SAINT’S game is taking place tomorrow is also an important factor in eliminating the camps today. Homelessness is bad for tourism and New Orleans is a tourist destination.

It is a violation of homeless people’s civil rights to arrest them prior to public events as  the city of Miami, Florida found out in the 1990’s. However it is totally legal to sweep them away and suggesting they get into a treatment program. Anyone in resistance of a sweep can be arrested.

Some sweeps include help with treatment alternatives, hotel or shelter vouchers, or other offers of assistance. From the people I spoke to today alternatives were not offered or explained but extra shelter beds became available. Most campers do not feel comfortable going to a shelter. This is a population that does not cope well with rules and regulations and shelters are full of rules.

Residents who did not remove belongings from their campsite on time lost all their treasures to a bulldozer, cleaning crew and a garbage truck. The area looks really clean now and the 12 block stretch was cleared out by 11 am.  There were still plenty of panhandlers everywhere and many campers just relocated to another areas.

One homeless man I spoke to said that the SPCA took his dog. He had no choice in the matter. The SPCA said they would license, spay and give shots to the dog before returning it to him. He expects to see his pet again.  I really hope they keep that promise. He showed me the business card of his dog shelter contact. He will know in a few days if they keep their word. I have never heard of the SPCA returning an animal. It would be very nice if they did.

On the news this event was reported as part of the process towards ending homelessness in the city. Unfortunately, all a sweep does is add chaos to the lives of people who are already experiencing the worst possible reality.