The main reasons for homelessness are substance abuse and mental illness. While there is not sufficient "affordable housing" in many places, the solution is not to degrade neighborhoods, but to relocate the "homeless" to locales where reasonable cost housing is available. The main reason why homelessness is persistent is because there is an army of people who are making money off the "homeless crisis." They make millions in government grants and consulting fees, and work for NGO's, advocacy groups. Look at the billions of dollars that are spent in California to "fight homelessness." Where does that money go? Certainly not to the homeless people themselves; if it did, they could afford nice apartments. Seriously, do the math. If homelessness went away, their "advocates" would have to go out and get a fucking job. Nobody wants that.
