BATON ROUGE - Mayor-President Sid Edwards has made reducing homelessness a priority, boasting on social media of major reductions in homelessness throughout the city.
In January 2025, Matthew Edwards started working as a coordinator for the Mayor's Office of Homelessness Prevention.
"Ultimately, we're just trying to help these individuals and help the people out, because we want them to be able to have a sustainable life again, to be on their own," Matthew Edwards said.
He said the office includes a six-member street team. They respond to calls about encampments and drive around the parish, talking to people one-on-one about their needs.
Matthew Edwards said it's important to take an individualized approach with each case.
"It's not just one aspect. I know there are a lot of people who think it's just addiction or mental health. That's not the case at all. It has multiple aspects. It's jobs, housing market, it's multiple things going into it."
He said nearly 200 people have been helped so far, getting mental health support, addiction support or even bus tickets to cities closer to their loved ones.
"Through the course of this whole year, we've had 789 encounters. That includes encounters with some of the same people. And we're right around 200 total of being able to help people with resources."
Mechaell Bradley Winters said she has served Baton Rouge's homeless population since 2020. Bradley Winters founded nonprofit Love Me on Purpose to help feed and clothe people in need. She hosts giveaways once or twice a month in downtown Baton Rouge.
"When we go out, it's anywhere from 50 to 100 or more people," said Bradley Winters.
She is glad to see leaders step in to help underserved people, but in the future, she hopes to see city and state leaders do more to address housing issues.
"They need housing. Some of the buildings that are closed down, we can reform them. If we can spend millions and millions and millions of dollars on roads and different things like that, surely we can refurbish a building," said Bradley Winters.
Edwards said the Mayor's Office of Homelessness Prevention is still growing. He hopes to expand resources, services, and partnerships in the future.
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