New Orleans officials do not regularly inspect the city’s homeless shelters, according to a report by the state Legislative Auditor’s office that offers a broad review of the city’s homelessness initiatives.
The audit, released in March, also found that the city has infrequently monitored the services homeless residents receive in recent years, and UNITY of Greater New Orleans, the lead agency for homeless services in the city, is at times nonresponsive to families in need of housing.
That said, the city has made some progress toward housing those in need in recent years, auditors said, housing 275 people from eight of the city’s major homeless encampments between 2023 and 2024 under a process that followed city ordinances and best practices…