About Signs of Life

Part of UNITY’s street-outreach team, at the collaborative’s 2014 annual meeting. From left: Brandi Gaines-Girard, Demetra Phoenix, Jocelyn Scott, Clarence White, and Laniker Hunter-Davis.

Almost every night, UNITY’s street-outreach workers comb abandoned buildings and streets of New Orleans, rescuing the community’s most vulnerable people. We’re making progress: the homeless population has decreased 83 percent since its post-Katrina peak of 11,619 people.

Finally, this year, the homeless population dropped below pre-Katrina levels. But many frail and vulnerable people still remain unhoused. This blog describes our daily highs and lows as we struggle to house the most vulnerable while rebuilding our beloved community.