Mostly in cars. The people that are marginally better-off have old RVs. The people who can’t afford wheels will hide a tent in the bushes. Vehicle or not, everyone seeks out similar places where they are unlikely to be noticed or hassled: lightly-used dirt roads on public land, parking areas at trailheads, closed campgrounds, behind abandoned businesses on the edge of town, etc.

Their cars. There were also a few staying in an abandoned building, but it burned down.

When I lived rural adjacent they would either live in barns or in the bushes by the railroad tracks, they’d make like a fort in the brush and drink in there all day, when I worked in ER one of them came in with the bones sticking out of his toes because he had let his diabetic foot wounds progress so far. In my city some of them live on the land next to the highway on ramp in tents, and they walk quite a ways away to the nearest intersection to panhandle.

In a van down by the river.

I live in Finland, so uh. There are none

I have no idea where he slept, but there was one former millionaire homeless dude who setup shop on the side of the highway for over a decade. He sold honey, pine seeds and some other stuff like that that he managed to forage around the area (probably getting into people’s property too).

We don’t have many, mainly because winter simply isn’t survivable here in the Appalachians fully outside.

There is a spot near a stretch of woods at the edge of town that sometimes has a camp going, but it’s usually itinerant homeless folks rather than locals. It’s not far from the highway, and a railway, so it makes sense.

The town is still small enough that locals don’t stay homeless for long. There’s always a trailer or garage room or attic room that can be used for the friend of a friend, or inlaw or whatever, to get someone through a winter, and that’s usually enough for someone to find work or to get onto one of the various programs for people in need.

The last truly homeless, as in not even temporary shelter, she died maybe five years ago? Before covid I know. She was not well mentally, and wouldn’t take medication, or much of anything. She stayed clear of any lawbreaking that the sheriff would have to take action over, and didn’t bother anybody. She’d mostly pick up odd jobs and stay in one of a few abandoned houses. That’s where she died. Had a stroke and that was that. One of the deputies found her while checking the property out on regular patrol.

As much as I have issues with organized religion, the churches also do a good job here, making sure that folks have basic clothes and some food, and the Methodist church has been known to open their basement for short term use. Doesn’t sound great, but it’s pretty well set up for “lock ins” or whatever they call them when you don’t actually lock the door. But basically overnight sleepovers for church members and their families. So it’s clean, dry, and there’s basic facilities.

But, yeah, compared to the city I lived in for a while, there’s a lot less long term homelessness for sure.

There are small hunting cottages out here that people squat in. Owners were constantly contacted in the past about it but nothing ever got done.

There’s not many where I live because homeless people usually need to beg and there’s no point begging in the countryside where you’ll see three people a day.

Video taken in my county showcasing a little of how the homeless live around here: https://youtu.be/9YEyLb4iVHQ?si=5S6uCpv5WTQzjBMa

In tents on the riverbanks in my friends town

There are homeless encampments near railyards, usually.

Beyond that, woodland trails that are near infrastructure, like highways.

There’s a shelter a town over, and you rarely but occasionally see makeshift shelters by the power lines up the mountain a few minutes

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