On a pre-dawn morning in January, state police and other agencies directed by the Louisiana governor, Jeff Landry, descended on homeless encampments throughout downtown New Orleans. More than 100 unhoused people were bused – under threat of arrest – to an industrial warehouse miles away, dubbed the “transitional center”.
The hastily assembled site had been arranged under a no-bid contract thanks to emergency powers invoked by Landry – who took office in early 2024 – and opened before an unprecedented winter storm that ultimately dumped about 10in of snow on some parts of the region.
