The NY Post is likely referencing the bad old days of the 80's when Koch and Dinkins were in charge. The days prior to Giuliani are often referred to as that in NYC.
Giuliani cleaned up the streets and swept the bums out of a lot of public places.
I'm not sure what the sympathy is for bums and hobo's here. Those people are a public nuisance and should not be allowed to fester in parks and public places. They should be constantly rounded up and either put in mental institutions, shelters, or corralled where they are not a danger to the general public.
They can be dangerous.
I was stopped at a light in Houston when one ran up and grabbed my arm and started trying to climb in the window of the crew cab I was driving.
I punched him and he back off then tried climbing in the back window and he was trying to bite the guy sitting in back.
One of the guys in back had to kick him to get him out of the window he was half way in the truck.