Do you have numbers to backup that claim? You mean to tell me, as others have pointed out, that the cold weather and shelters kicking people out during the day plays no effect in homeless folks observed at the mall?

I don't buy what you say at face value as the SSA just increased it's cola payouts by 8.7 % whereas the annual inflation rate is now 7.7 - they're doing the complete opposite of what you're saying and paying out even more !

You mean to tell people here that, without shelter occupancy rate figures, and while giving you the benefit of the doubt that the homeless population increase is a fact ( nevermind the anecdotal claim that homeless folks observed at the mall has increased which is entirely separate) that the opioid epidemic has no variable in this equation?

Do we really need more shelters if the problem is existing shelters kicking people out during the day?