The problem of vagrants sleeping in Hamilton streets and beggars harassing members of the public for money is not new. It has been a matter of public debate at least since the late Jay Bluck was Mayor six years ago and engaged in unsuccessful efforts with the Government and police for support for the problem.But there’s no doubt that the situation has worsened in the last two years or so, another sign of the worsening economy, which has put more people out of work and on the streets. It does not require a survey to see that, and reports from the Salvation Army and other helping agencies prove it.One of the challenges of this problem is how to deal with it.Hamilton is the face of Bermuda for many, and to have people sleeping in doorways, urinating in public and begging and harassing people is not the image that Bermuda or Hamilton wants to project to the world. Nor is it morally right that in a still relatively wealthy country even with the recession, people should be desperate and homeless.While the immediate reaction is to arrest loiterers and others, the truth is that this will not solve the problem, even if it is part of the solution for those who will not follow the rules of society.You can arrest and charge a person for some kind of offence and put them before a Magistrate. They may get a fine they cannot or will not pay, or they may go to prison for a short time. But when they return to the streets, what will they do? Without support or help, they will most likely return to their same habits, at which point the cycle will continue.The police, confronted with the same challenges, have resisted becoming the harassers of the homeless, although more foot patrols in Hamilton would have some deterrent effect.So there must be a better solution.Homelessness is not a simple problem. Few people are homeless by choice. Some suffer from mental illness while others are substance abusers and addicts. Some are simply too poor to find a home or have problems getting employment.So solving the problem requires a multi-faceted approach involving Government agencies, charities, the Corporation and the police.Some years ago, there were charitable efforts to establish a drop-in centre in Hamilton where the homeless and the mentally ill could go during the day when the Salvation Army shelter was closed. Another Salvation Army programme, Harbour Light, offers some of these services, but funding is short and the problem is growing.The previous Corporation of Hamilton hired a security firm to act as city rangers, but their powers are limited. They should be given powers of arrest which can be applied with certain prescribed limits, but with the recognition that these actions should only be taken in extreme cases.A task force of agencies is needed to deal with the problem, to find work and shelter for those who are able, and help with substance abuse and addiction for those who need it.None of these efforts will solve the problem alone. But taken together, they can make a difference.One difficulty is that this problem falls between many different areas — the police, the Government, charities and the Corporation. At the moment, there is no defined leader. Because many of the problems fall within the City of Hamilton, this is an ideal cause for Mayor Graeme Outerbridge and the Corporation to take on.While it may not be able to coordinate the problem, it can use its position as a pulpit to persuade and, if necessary, shame others into doing the right thing.What is certain is that doing nothing will only result in the problem getting worse.