I am not from Trenton I am from somewhere else in New Jersey. But Tent, Like Camden ans Newark and I think Atlantic City are the only shelters in the state. So that when people become homeless and poor that is a few of the choices they have I am sure that there are others. I have gone through the tranportation hub in Camden and ther are people sleeping on the floor at all hour I suppose. and this is one more choice. The shelters are a place that some people go when they have know knetwork to help them there they apply for welfare and wait. Some apply for section eight housing not everyone can get it it depends apon the avaslability. It seem to have a hirerarhy as to who has the best chance of getting it women with children have the easist time of it men have a harder time. A jewish man with a MA from Harvard might not ever get it, it does not help even if he is sixty years old. Cercomstances put him where he is even though he made the choices that more than likely put him there and will keep him there, although he is now sleeping outside now.
Not all the poor are who we expect them to be. and as the rich seem to get richer and the poor get poorer, and the amount of poor people just increases all the time. It will not be long before the middle class in greater number will find themselves in simalar circumstances. I believe that unless something changes this is what will happen.
Saddly for some if not most the people that are thought to be the support group for these people will say even if they can help they wont there relpy is go to social services. But they will not say but it is implyed we don't what nothing to do with you .
No one what the poor around it is bad for the bottom line property values will go down. Hang around and the police will run you out of town take you to jail or a mental ward.
Now if any one thinks what I have to say is not about poverty then they do not know poverty then. You can not talk about poverty from an ivory tower you at some point have to get your hands dirty poverty is a very complex problem that will always be with us That is at the very core of any solution because I think it is a part of human nature to be selfish and greedy