With the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans set to host the Feb. 9 Super Bowl, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, a Republican, put the state to work getting homeless people off the streets near the stadium.

The initiative, which Mr. Landry announced this week, follows up on an executive order he signed on Jan. 1 following Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s truck attack along Bourbon Street. Homeless people will be moved away from the Superdome, highways in New Orleans, bridges and other transportation thoroughfares.

“With the recent ISIS terrorist attack, the Dec. 8th fire under I-10, frigid temperatures and the destruction of the riverfront streetcar line, it is in the best interest of every citizen’s safety and security to give the unhoused humane and safe shelter as we begin to welcome the world to the city of New Orleans for both Super Bowl LIX and Mardi Gras,” Mr. Landry said in a statement.

Last week, the Louisiana Supreme Court overturned an order that prevented Louisiana State Police from clearing homeless encampments, according to The Associated Press. 

The Louisiana Housing Corp. and Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness are opening a Transitional Center in the city’s 9th Ward to house those cleared from around the Superdome.

The center can hold 200 people and offers beds, three daily meals, showers and toilets, fridges for medication, and veterinary service for pets. As of Wednesday, 131 people were staying at the center, The Associated Press reported.

Homeless people with jobs will be given priority for housing vouchers. Those with other means of income or support who were accessing state and city resources will be bused out of Louisiana, Mr. Landry’s office said.

Advocates for the homeless have decried the governor’s initiative.

“I think it shows that we would accept a lot of harm to unhoused people as the price to pay so they’re not visible during these big events,” Angela Owczarek with the grassroots New Orleans Homeless and Houseless Advocacy, Research and Rights Monitoring collective told The New York Times.

Those who were living near the Superdome and the highways were also irked.

“We are people. We’re not all crazy, messed up on drugs like everybody thinks. We just got down on our luck and some people are one paycheck away from being out here themselves. I’m going to stay with a friend. I just don’t think it’s going to be a good thing,” a man named Brandon told WVUE-TV.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.