This is an easy one for me. Jacksonville, Florida is 806.4 square miles, an extremely large area. If you want to get around in this city, you better have a car. For the most part: if you want a job, you’d better have a car.
The reasoning is this: If you have a car, you can survive. You can stay at many Walmart’s for free and have security. The automobile provides shelter and additional transportation to work.
Consequently, your ‘home’ may be your automobile. In fact, I did it once with four of us in a van during the winter and it worked out pretty good.
Thus, one might argue that driving is a privilege, but I counter that it is a right as without the car your chances of surviving simply are not that good. Being homeless is bad enough, yet being homeless without a car is horrible.
This county is built around the automobile. Everything within our county is dependent on wheels. This is a fact and hard to work around. An auto ensures that if you are homeless, it should be short-lived as you have a pathway to work.
A walker is so much more exposed on the streets, almost inviting trouble. To put it simply: you are a target. The reason you are a target is that you have little avenues for escape.
Finally, aside from getting homeless people a job. There is the issue of clean clothes and a good night’s sleep. You more or less can juggle this problem in an automobile, but nearly impossible on the streets.
Hard Times Ministries 
I hear ya.
Your post reminds me of a blog I have been following for over a year… in fact a couple of them. But this one actually researched which NEW car would work best for living in… I will link you. I bet you can share a lot of street wisdom etc…
https://standalonehobo.wordpress.com/2016/09/15/brand-spanking-new-tiny-mobile-home/
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A good read. Actually, now I’m into microhomes and really favor them.
Eleven years ago, the mother of two of my children showed up with a child (Not mine). a year later, another kid.
They had no place to go.
I bought a 1971 19-foot trailer, gutted it and then remodeled the entire trailer. Everything inside was new! Aside from the tongue, that gave us about 17 feet inside!
We lived in that about 2 years. Rv campgrounds, for about $365 a month to include utilities. It wasn’t all that good, but it was better than living on the streets.
Those kids are still with me, yet now, the mother has an apartment and had to wait for a vehicle in order to get back and forth to work. That happened 2 days ago.
The focus here: this all took about 11 years to happen. There is nothing romantic about trying to help people. Too, nothing really is short-term that has lasting effects.
For me, the matter was a simple one. The kids needed a place to sleep: thus, all resources went to that effect. And Yes, I know everyone can’t choose the same as I do, but that is just me.
For the record, unlike most: there was no booze or alcohol involved. the mother has a felony record and they too are almost pushed out of society in terms of getting a job.
A felony makes it almost impossible to get into a dwelling anymore. IF you have a drug felony, this means you are completely screwed. The same is true if you are a sex-offender.
In this society, because of fear among other reasons, if you are in those categories, you are a forgotten, despised lot. All are God’s children.
Working with heroin addicts is next to impossible, but I’ve seen some overcome this difficulty. Mostly, it’s a matter of what is stronger.
The temptations of society and this world or the forces of concern, love and forgiveness. We generally fall short to the latter.
One more note: Tampa Florida has been experimenting with a tent solution for the homeless. At present, they have about 250 tents (wooden floors) and the program has been successful. I’ll try to search for some articles for you on it.
For those who want to buy a new vehicle and break away from the crowd: this is a wonderful opportunity to witness by example. One would get great opportunities to meet people that otherwise they would simply not see at all.
With one final note: over the course of many years, I have had strangers as a whole treat me much better than ever the churches. The homeless and down and out feed me many times and shared whatever they had and showed me resources by which to survived. The churches didn’t want us around and wouldn’t even assist with bus fare. However, God is generous and will open his doors for those who knock. In that advent, he’ll send them someone like either you or me. What a joy!
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