I perceive the "homelessness" problem isn't only with us in Britain, much of the western world is beset with it at the moment, particularly the US, where some of its cities have become veritable "no go" areas, in particular San Francisco which would have been considered one of their showcase cities. From what I read, there are a myriad of reasons why this is so, The US is in the midst of a dire opiate crisis, and there is a school of thought that much of this has been orchestrated by big pharma. Unfortunately, where they lead we often follow. So wading through pavement deep people, sprawled out off their faces often makes it untenable for businesses to carry on trading in those areas, couple that with the fact that there is a very lax attitude to shoplifting, no prosecutions under $1,000 dollars in many places, which again means retailers can't take those sort of hits when they are continually seeing their stocks being lifted without any recourse to the law. I think it's possible that an individual could go into one of these tent cities without addictions or mental health problems but end up like many of those around them, because one will feed the other. Possibly part of Suella Braverman's rationale in not handing out tents, I don't know, I don't support her extreme stances on many issues I might add, just in case that is construed that I do. I do wonder how many prominent American cities will become ghost towns before their government decides to act. I think it sets a dangerous precedent to slip into a state of lawlessness and it only illustrates the widening gulf between the haves and the have nots. I'm reading a book set in The dust bowls of America during the time of the Great Depression where so many were living itinerant subsistence existences and sometimes I think we could be forgiven in thinking that one of the worlds most developed nations are regressing back to those times 
Of course like here, and everywhere in the developed world, it would seem it's the same old story, unaffordable rents, wages too low to afford what's on offer, a general lack of housing stock. As I said not just here in Britain, but in all sorts of places, Canada and Australia, who'd have thought, big countries, lots of space to build one would would assume. Add to that mass migration, which I'm not trying to construe in a negative sense, people always have and always will move around the world for better conditions, my family certainly did! However, when maybe a small country such as Britain adds 5 million or so to the population, then its already inadequate housing stock is going to be greatly affected, and many of those people pile into the already over crowded south east, where even if you go out into the 50 mile radius around London, it's still unaffordable! Into that mix, can be added the fact that families don't always stay together in the way they did in past times and when the nuclear family splits, another home has to be found. Previously, I imagine couples would possibly just front out impossible relationships until they could release themselves once the kids had grown and flown the nest
Suffice to say a myriad of complex situations that pertain to homelessness. Shelter is one of a handful of charities I support. When I read how much money we throw at the United Nations for example, my thoughts were "I wish that money could be directed into subsidised housing instead of being wasted, but sadly I know it doesn't work like that.
