OK I'd like to propose a little experiment here. Everyone here, please state where are you from (or, where do you live), and how much of homeless people you see every day. I was always curious about how's that problem handled in other countries.

I'll go first. I'm from Brazil, kind of working and/or living in two cities now, Campinas and São Paulo. In Campinas you'll see homeless people often, but not as much as in São Paulo, where ther are places infested with them. Also, you'll see lots of children in the street, asking for money, or selling stuff like candy. You'll see lots of people aged 18-25 doing such thing, most of them are this age.

There are several homeless people in the downtown areas, sometimes even with small children with them, asking for money. Older people are kinda rare to see. You might see children by themselves in such situation, but these are kinda dangerous, because these children DO have a place to go, either their own home or an orfan's home or an institution, but they refuse to go because they are on drugs or something, and they know that if they go to these places, they won't get any.

Your time. Please do be honest.