[dpark]

Long term homelessness is generally not just a result of lack of money. Healthy individuals can usually get out of homelessness with a bit of help. People suffering from severe mental illness or severe substance abuse have a much more difficult time escaping homelessness because they often have no support network and no way to rebuild one, and they have difficulty retaining any sort of employment.

[mancerayder]

... and the police are their de facto social workers / case workers.