We do not see it as much as those who have travelled to cosmopolitan cities have seen it, but there are strong indications that the numbers are on the rise.

We’re talking about homelessness, people living in the streets, people with nowhere to go as they drift from one place to another before lying down on a bench, on the pavement or in a public garden to grab a few hours of sleep.

The Malta Independent on Sunday, in a story carried over the weekend, spoke to two local councils which have seen a rise in the phenomenon. We are sure that there are more localities which are facing such issues.

Both Sliema and Marsa are receiving a growing number of reports of people who do not have a residence to go to, and who are seen literally living in the streets. In summer, it might be pleasant as the weather helps, but when winter comes it will not be so easy. Some of these people are so desperate that they enter shops to beg for money or something to eat to stifle their hunger. Others have been seen trying to find something edible in rubbish that is disposed of by other persons.

People living in areas which are seeing more homeless people are not happy – for many reasons, including the possibility of more crime as well as the chances that their property is devalued.

So far, the situation is manageable, but there is growing concern that the number of such people will increase. The current situation is not helping. The rising inflation means that people have less value for their money. They either have to consume less or else end up not making ends meet. The cost of accommodation is also on the rise. Many cannot afford to buy property and many more cannot even afford to rent.

One issue that was highlighted by both the Marsa mayor, Josef Azzopardi, and the Sliema deputy mayor, Anton Debono, is that there are occasions when these homeless people refuse the shelter they are offered, preferring to continue to sleep beneath the stars.

Azzopardi went as far as suggesting legislation that should make it compulsory for people in the streets to go to live in shelters if one is found for them. “There are enough shelters… shelters usually have rules which homeless people who refuse help do not want to adhere to,” he said.

Homelessness is not the norm as it is in other countries, but “I do not wish it to become the norm”.

Nobody wants homelessness to become the norm. But the complexity of the problem, coupled with the personal stories of the individuals involved, make it a hard nut to crack.

It would be wrong to under-estimate the issue, and the authorities responsible should be doing their utmost to find a solution.

Otherwise, we run the risk of reacting too late, when the problem would have grown out of hand.