When I lived in St. Pete in the 80’s they were trying to rehabilitate the downtown area, but it was inundated with homeless. The homeless were a huge impediment to business because they agressivly solicited would-be customers who stayed away in droves. So, the police arrested them and took them to the booking center which is in the far north of the county. Then they’d “discover” that they had no cause to arrest them and they’d just let them go. The closest place to walk from there was Clearwater. When I left Clearwater was suing. But when I returned I’d have to say the St. Pete downtown is fully rejuvenated. I was told they had no homeless problem. Which, probably means they’re actively shooing them off, which I thought was illegal. (You can’t use any big city library as it’s a daytime homeless shelter.)
Ah for the days when there were VAGRANCY LAWS to take care of such problems. When Vagrancy laws were done away with the rifraf swarmed the local library to such an extent one floor was closed due to BED BUGS!
For the first time, free museums suddenly started charging a high admission to keep such rifraf out!