Downloadable Documents

  1. •H.E.L.P. Manual

  2. •New Orleans Homeless Court Summary

Service Locations

  1. •Father Harry Tompson Center

  2. 1802 Tulane Avenue

  3. Contact: Don Thompson

  4. dthompson@jesuitchurch.net

  5. (504) 931-5365

  6. •New Orleans Mission

  7. 1130 Oretha Castle Haley Blvd

  8. Contact: Ron Gonzalez

  9. ron@ilsnova.com

  10. (504) 523-2116 x201 or
    (714) 206-3204

  11. Kim Thompson

  12. ktnom@bellsouth.net

  13. (504) 415-9579

  14. •The Salvation Army

  15. 4526 South Claiborne Ave

  16. (504) 899-4569

  17. •Ozanam Inn

  18. 843 Camp Street

  19. Contact: Deacon G.

  20. inno@bellsouth.net

  21. Clarence Adams

  22. cjadamssr@bellsouth.net

  23. (504) 523-1184 Local Contacts

Local Contacts

  1. •New Orleans, LA (H.E.L.P. Program)

  2. Contact: Judge Jay C. Zainey

  3. jay_zainey@laed.uscourts.gov


  1. •Sherry Dolan
    sdolan@bakerdonelson.com
    (504) 566-5292


  1. •Paul Colomb
    pcolomb@bakerdonelson.com
    (504) 566-8671

The American Bar Association recognizes Project H.E.L.P. through the 2011 Pro Bono Publico Award

The New Orleans Homeless Court


The New Orleans Homeless Court (NOHC) started in May of 2010. The NOHC convenes once a month on the third Wednesday of every month in Orleans Parish Municipal Court, Courtroom A. Judge Paul Sens, Chief Judge of Municipal Court, presides.

A significant percentage of the Orleans Parish Municipal Court docket consists of homeless men and women, many of whom find themselves on the Municipal Court docket on a regular basis. NOHC offers assistance to these defendants in two ways. The Court recognizes that these defendants are best served by treatment, not punishment. NOHC is designed to assist the homeless receive much needed treatment and services. When the docket convenes on the third Wednesday of every month, present in Court are a number of homeless service providers, including UNITY of New Orleans, an umbrella group of providers that works to find suitable housing; Veterans Justice Outreach; Metropolitan Human Services District, and local homeless shelters. Many of these providers are already case workers for the defendants in Court. For those without a case worker, an assessment can be done and services identified.
NOHC also aims to help those individuals ready
to move on with their lives to clear their record
of legal offenses related to their homeless
condition and which pose an impediment to
placement in housing and/or employment.

Success stories of the NOHC are like the story of
one man referred by the Salvation Army. Working
with the Salvation Army, he was housed through
its rapid housing project and temporarily employed
as a construction worker. This gentleman then
worked to clear his record of several municipal
offenses. He has now been able to successfully
secure gainful full time employment. He even has
plans to marry his girlfriend in the near future.

The Homeless Court featured on the WGNO evening news