It's not the issue of passing laws that say one can't "help the homeless"… just where, when and how.
Look, a number of years ago… maybe 30 or 40 by now, the Government basically ruled that unless a person was criminally insane they couldn't be "housed" in an institution and thousands were released into society and continue to be. The intent of the ruling was supposed to benefit those who soon became the nations homeless because, like a lot well intentioned actions there was no follow up.
Though there may be around 3.5 million people who experience short term homelessness there are usually (latest stats) about 175,000 chronically homeless.
Most of the homeless are helped by charitable institutions since it's difficult to actually find them because lack of a residence… vicious circle so to speak.
Efforts have been under way for along time to eradicate the plight, but, due to the current economic problems, the battle is facing difficulties.
In an attempt to answer 237SJ's question, I think a major contributor to SFO and Seattle being centers of homelessness has to do with the readily available street drugs, at least in SFO. But the fact is, the causes of homelessness aren't clearly understood, since it can be an intermittent condition.
There are "benefits" here in the U.S., however the benefits are usually expressed in food assistance. Overnight housing is usually, as earlier stated, provided by churches and other small charitable organizations.
As bad as any homelessness is, it isn't purely an American malady… every city in the world experiences this condition.
Kvaldir's story isn't unusual… but notice (said without accusations) the charity lasted only for a short period of time. That's usually the case with individuals and completely understandable…
Atalanta… no one was prohibited from helping the homeless...