American conservative capitalism on display. (IMHO)

I think some of the wealthy places would be the easiest places to become homeless. It would be harder to find affordable housing, or loose it.

You might be in Las Vegas (there are probably other cities that also fit the description). I'm sure there are several factors. For here it is the weather (conducive to living outside), the pool of people you can beg from (including tourists) , and an enormous number of charitable resources.

Apparently Hawaii has such issues, I never would have thought it.

Good comment. Its a phenomena that deserves very high priority amongst thinking people.

My first instinct is to increase the number of low cost amenity areas, where you can pitch a tent or park a vehicle close to toilets and showers. This would have the advantage of being able to assess the people in one area, and provide health, counselling and charitable services.

Walmart are renowned for allowing "campers" in their car parks for example.

When you think about it, this is the way most of humanity lives now, and has done for thousands of years.

Are you some place warm? That would explain a lot.
For years, I lived in Gainesville, FL. It had one of the largest homeless populations
I'd ever seen in any place I'd ever been.
I think climate plays a huge role.

A prime example of inequality in America.
We have corporations that horde money in tax-free safe haven accounts out of the country. Which allows them to not pay their fair share in taxes.
Then there is the current tax reform...
Not even going to get into that cluster fuck.

There was a time that I was homeless due to a series of misfortunes. I had to fight my way back.
Was not an easy road.

In the case of California, it's due in large part to weather, and attitudes toward the homeless; being a very liberal state, generally, they aren't oppressed as much as some other places (with some exceptions). That's something I ponder now and then; how is it there are so many destitute people in such a wealthy country?

Spend a week in our nation's capital...homeless under every bridge. I spent a week at Howard University one summer...homeless sleeping on the lawn of a nearby middle school. WTF

I live near the beautiful city of York and it's the same there, Good pickings from the well heeled of the world, however there a some tragic figures begging and sleeping rough and I believe there is a lot of mental illness and addiction among the poor wretches + professional beggars and con men.

So much of this has to do with there being no place for the mentally ill to be if they can't be handled "in society" or can't handle being in society. - Some of it might be panhandlers who have homes and just choose to earn that way. But some are really critically mentally ill - and we don't have places for them anymore. We need to address this obviously.

Let me guess... You Are In Vegas. Where the homeless have briefcases and luggage. Sorry I missed you but I hope You are having a sinful and hell of a time in SIn City. I am still in DC. Until the end of this month I hope. St Valentine holding me up... Yep, I said Saint Valentine but not the heart or love thing.... the dancing around it with the right partner.

are you in a warm climate?

It's a growing problem, and the government needs to step in and help. I suggest a Motel Six type rooms. Add clean clothes, a land line, cafeteria, security, Doctor, medicine, cleaning service, and maybe some of these people can find a job, and way out of this terrible life they live.

I would guess Los Angeles? Not that this doesn’t happen in lots of places but LA is kind of a perfect storm. Lots of people who fo there to “make it big” and didn’t. And it’s easier to be homeless in places where you won’t freeze to death.

thats how trickle down works.

Cities have work.

Miami, New York, Detroit, Gotham, Metropolis. Welcome to the world, fact is there are more empty homes than there is homeless people. Something isnt right.

San Francisco? Anyway the weather makes a big difference. Vegas is way too hot in the summer. Most of the West coast is temperate enough to live outside or in a makeshift shelter all year.

It isn't all about money. Many homeless people choose to be homeless. They are chronically mentally ill and / or addicts. Here is the Seattle area, there are lots of resources to help them. I did a therapy internship in community mental health. People would turn down a shelter or a group home as they didn't want to follow any rules and thus preferred being on the street.

Sydney?

Hmmm....homeless congregate where they can get help like a job... a good job. Good jobs are where the money's at...

No point begging off of poor people

Sounds like a Panhandler's Paradise . That's what brings them in .

We have this attitude that its better for people who don't deserve it to suffer, than for anyone to get a free ride. Its weird, and I don't get it.