This has always seemed pretty simple to me. Homeless people will tend to migrate to places with: 1) Favorable homeless policies (police don't kick them out or

This has always seemed pretty simple to me. Homeless people will tend to migrate to places with: 1) Favorable homeless policies (police don't kick them out or arrest them on a regular basis just for being homeless) 2) Liberal-minded residents who tolerate homelessness 3) Well-off residents who support homeless populations via direct support (begging) or indirect support (tax-funded shelters, food banks, employment programs, etc.) Weather is a draw for the portion of the homeless population that wants to effectively be a beach bum, but I'm pretty sure that's a minority. As the author points out, Seattle has shit weather but a huge homeless population (same as Portland and, to a degree, NYC). What it has in common with LA and SF is the above 3 factors.