I've been homeless twice before, and it's a really helpless feeling.
It is not easy to get out of it, and I don't believe anyone would want to be by choice. I had to sleep in parks (or if I was lucky, couch surf) while on a waiting list for public housing. I'm lucky that it was an option where I lived.
Not everyone's situation is the same. People have had it far worse than me, for sure.
It makes me so upset when people treat homeless people like they aren't worth anything. That could have been them if circumstances were different.
Sometimes there isn't anything you can do at that moment, but sometimes there will be times when you can help. You don't lose anything from empathising and showing kindness to those in a less fortunate position than yourself.