I really don't buy the "cost of living" explanation. Are we suggesting that these homeless people can't afford $1800 a month per rent, but are somehow going to get a more reasonable $1000/month apartment?
Exactly what job are you going to get if you smell, are missing teeth, have an alcohol problem, don't own clean clothes, and potentially have mental health issues?
I think we need to think outside the box on this one.
You seem to think that you wake up one day and you are a stereotypical 'high visibility homeless person'. Plenty of homeless people are struggling on the edge of normality (especially women) and are sleeping in cars, looking relatively clean and well-behaved.
Aside from the hard-core mentally ill, a lot of people might be relatively easily intercepted before they wind up looking/acting like the person you describe.
Exactly what job are you going to get if you smell, are missing teeth, have an alcohol problem, don't own clean clothes, and potentially have mental health issues?
I think we need to think outside the box on this one.