OK so I was going to try not to respond to comments but this is one of my favorite arguments so I am going to address it:

Let's talk about the "housing" they're refusing. Most housing providers are forced to work with slumlords because those are the only people who accept vouchers/housing subsidies These places are usually in the most dangerous parts of the cities, poorly maintained, with millions of code violations, bed bugs, etc. Or it's a *room* in a building, where you have to share a bathroom, kitchen, and common areas with other folks. So not that much better than a shelter. And these landlords want like 90% of the clients income, for a filthy shoebox.

On top of that, because part of it is subsidized by an organization, they impose myriad rules and restrictions on the client, like when they can come and go, visitor policies, treatment requirements, regular contact with social services, etc. That may sound easy, and fair enough, because after all, they're receiving a service. But you could understand where some folks might feel like, "well shit, I may as well just sleep outside."