To ask what is going on with homelessness in my town

[Snowcov]

Will start by saying I have real sympathy for homeless people and this is not a way of doubting or criticising anyone in this situation. But I'm genuinely curious. I live in a town where there is no homelessness. It's a fairly wealth town. But for over 2 years now, there has been one homeless person - at a time. Actually there have been 3 or 4 people who each have been there a few months only to be replaced by another person who sits in the exact same spot. I think they are travelling in from a nearby city. All seem to be from the same country. It must be awful for them to sit outside all day in this spot and I really feel for them but I can't help wonder what the situation is as to the person changing but in the same spot as the last one. Once the person has changed, you never see the previous person again? Is this organised or what is going on?

It's organised crime sadly. Where I used to work they rotated throughout the day - picked up and dropped off in a brand new range rover by some dodgy looking blokes. They used to all share the same dog on the basis more people give them money if they had a dog. It was sad as the "homeless" people themselves were really just being exploited or promised drugs/cash etc each day to keep them going back.

Agree. There’s a group who beg in an underpass in my area - same wheelchair but rotation of about four men who sit in it (how they’ve not realised that sitting in a wheelchair at the bottom of a flight of stairs might make people suspicious about how genuine you are I’ve no idea) and occasionally the person I assume is their gang leader will be there switching props of collecting the day’s takings.

There is a lot of slavery in this country where leaders will organise gangs of beggars.

Don't confuse homelessness with begging. They do not always go hand in hand. Not all who beg are homeless and not all who are homeless beg. Many homeless people even have jobs (which is a fucking damning indictment on our society).

We have a lady outside the post office who is literally on her knees with her hands out, going ‘please, please’ plaintively and shaking her dirty paper cup.

She is part of a crime syndicate. There are several more working the road.

However the real actual problem of homelessness has increased. You see actual camps now in some parts. It’s awful.

This is why if you have sympathy for homeless people you should donate your time / goods/ money to charities that work with homeless people.

Otherwise your money is going to your local trafficker / drugs cartel .

@Lockheart

There is a lot of slavery in this country where leaders will organise gangs of beggars.

Don't confuse homelessness with begging. They do not always go hand in hand. Not all who beg are homeless and not all who are homeless beg. Many homeless people even have jobs (which is a fucking damning indictment on our society).

This. My DH volunteers in a homeless shelter and a few of the guests have jobs, it's just that they can't get it together or don't have the correct paperwork/deposit/support to get housing.

In our area (it's a big city) it's mainly Roma women who are used by organised crime gangs, but they do a similar thing of sitting begging in the same spot. These women are often trafficked and always being exploited, but actually have nothing to do with 'homelessness'.

Which country?

Begging and homelessness are two different issues.

There are organised groups of beggars. That's not to say everyone asking for money is a part of a begging group. Or to say being part of a begging group is somehow "easy" - it's not, the gang masters will be dreadful people and it's often human trafficking related.

Most homeless people are not begging - in fact you may be surprised to learn that some of them have jobs.