General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: 10 Unbelievably Sh**ty Things America Does to Homeless People [View all]indivisibleman
(482 posts)though not quite to the extremes you experienced.
I think large communities could easily outfit an abandoned factory or apartment buildings to accommodate some form of housing for these individuals and families. It would get them off the street, give them shelter from bad weather and heat and cold. It would give them time to regroup and find a way forward. Counselors could assist them in making decisions as to how they could better their lives. If they wanted to remain homeless as a few people would rather do what would be the harm of letting them have a small room for themselves for free with the one requirement of keeping it clean.
I think that doing this as a community is the way to go and not individual help which often becomes a big problem for both the person helping out and the person or persons being helped out.