When the homeless population began to spike in the United States some 20 years ago, scores of caring people stepped up to open some of the first shelters, soup kitchens, and other charity programs to help these troubled people.

Joel John Roberts, chief executive officer at Partners and People Assisting the Homeless, a social-services charity in Los Angeles, calls these care-giving pioneers “heroes” in his LA’s Homeless Blog
However, Mr. Roberts continues, now that homelessness in Los Angeles has more than tripled since 1985, some citizens turn jaundiced eyes towards the people who initially stepped up to help

“So now, rather than being called heroes, those running homeless shelters and feeding programs are quietly being blamed for the failure,” he says. “After two decades, the perception of these people has turned from hero to villain.”

The thing to keep in mind, Mr. Roberts writes, is that homelessness is better understood today. The current drive to get homeless people into permanent housing connected with a variety social services is a far cry from the “three hots and a cot” approach of old. It’s expensive and its hard, but “supportive housing” has been shown to work.

The issue now, as Mr. Roberts sees it, is this: “How do we transform that heroic 80’s passion for addressing homelessness into more modern solutions, while realizing that today’s community is, frankly, more weary of the problem?”

Mr. Roberts says the homelessness groups born in the 1980s are still valuable assets that can help lead the drive for more progressive solutions to the complex issue. “Pointing fingers at emergency-service programs for the failure of two decades of flawed homeless policies in Los Angeles is not the answer,” he says.

What have you seen in your community? What works best to help the homeless?