Okay, lets look at the "REAL" reason so many are homeless. No cause evictions, the rent is phenomenally high. Even if they wanted to come in off the streets, it would cost upward of $4000 to get into a place, and I am sure that is not easy feat, especially if a person has addiction or/and mental health issues....making that more worse. Coupled with bad credit,lack of rental history,criminal backgrounds,Etc. this makes renting a place impossible! So they lose hope and sink into depression while continuing to try to survive,  and  That is why so many are homeless! The so called programs that are there to help are overwhelmed and too often enough have years wait-lists attached to them. Homeless people have always existed, Jesus was homeless. It is just nowadays, people seem to suffer a lack of compassion given by society that keeps people who struggle even that much harder to overcome these obstacles. all of this combined, of course some seek escape by any means possible.