Isn't a lot of this being offended, especially on behalf of others, just a quick ego boost by people who want some attention. It's a way of saying "I'm such a caring person because I can see how uncaring everyone else is, so listen to me". As "caring" about real issues has already been covered by someone else they have to "care" about increasingly trivial matters to show their superiority?
The correlation between rough sleepers and drug use and your question as to whether they would stop if housed etc.. The answer in some cases is no they wouldn't. I've lived in a block of (mostly) ex-council flats for fourteen years. The council still rents a few to those needing Social Housing, occasionally they place a drink or drug addicted person here. All too often their behaviour is so appalling they are evicted again. IMO often it isn't the homelessness that causes the drug use, it's the drug use and accompanying anti-social behaviour that leads to the homelessness.
Not so long ago the local rag had head-lines about a group of homeless people that the council was threatening to arrest, to get them out of a wooden sea-front shelter they had set up "home" in. We were invited to feel pity for these poor souls and disapprove of the heartless council. The following week the council was given a chance to reply. They had set up a team to find them accommodation, which was refused for months. Anyone who has ever been to Margate sea-front knows that it is exposed to North Sea winds and cold at the best of times, it's probably about the worst place in S.E England to sleep rough. Yet that is exactly what they chose to do, constructing a make-shift shelter of plastic sheet and card-board to keep the wind off. The threat of arrest was only made because they then started lighting fires inside to keep warm. More attention seeking as the town is full of parks and other spaces they would have been less uncomfortable in.
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