"Police describe the homeless people who congregate around Gladys Park, in the heart of skid row, as a tough crowd who have seen much and say little."
What a awful story. That is a very good sentence though, very evocative.
Call me a compassionate conservative, but I really do believe we are a rich enough country to provide care to the idigent.
As for the "glamorous" van driver, well!
You will find that most of the people on the street want to be on the street. They refuse to go to shelters which are numerous. They fight tooth and nail having to go to a structured environment.