There is a growing public perception that the number of people experiencing homelessness has been rising in Brazil. To better understand this issue, the Brazilian Observatory of Public Policies on the Homeless Population, established under the Polos de Cidadania Program at the Federal University of Minas Gerais, compiled data from thousands of municipalities in a historical series spanning from 2012 to 2021. Unfortunately, the data indicates that this crisis is indeed worsening across the country.

Think of a street in a major metropolis. You will likely find narrow alleys, less than ten meters wide, especially in the oldest parts of the city. You will also find grand avenues that span over one hundred meters wide. Looking at other cities, we see this variety repeated across the globe.

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