Missed the start of this conversation, however as someone who once did find myself homeless a long time ago for a short period I can guarantee you that there are three main reasons people camp out in these areas;

Safety in numbers.
Greater shelter and access to facilities.
More likely to have people give you a break.

--- On Fri, 28/10/11, Sam Stutter <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> From: Sam Stutter <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: OT Question about public libraries in California's big cities
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Received: Friday, 28 October, 2011, 9:23 PM
> Same here in the UK, and even the
> smaller towns (although any homeless people tend to hang
> around shopping streets). Maybe it's a universal (except
> London I notice). I think it has something to do with past
> ideas of cultural enclaves; when town halls were built they
> were for "civilising" a city, hence the usual addition of a
> new library, theatre, art gallery and possibly a museum,
> either as part of the original development, at a later stage
> for ease of management, or because it felt "right" to later
> developers. 
> 
> On 28 Oct 2011, at 01:49, Terrence Donnelly <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> 
> > This is true of every large urban public library I've
> ever been in, and I've been in a lot.
> > 
> > -- Terry Donnelly
> > 
> > --- On Thu, 10/27/11, Adam Walker <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
> > 
> >> From: Adam Walker <[log in to unmask]>
> >> Subject: OT Question about public libraries in
> California's big cities
> >> To: [log in to unmask]
> >> Date: Thursday, October 27, 2011, 4:33 PM
> >> Okay, this is going to seem TOTALLY
> >> random, but it does have a purpose for a
> >> story I'm writing.  The main branch of the
> Dallas
> >> Public Library system is
> >> located downtown, across the street from city hall
> and is a
> >> magnet for
> >> street people who sort of camp out there during
> the
> >> days.  Does the same
> >> hold true for downtown branches of libraries in
> LA, SF, and
> >> other large
> >> cities in California?  My character has just
> moved
> >> from California to Dallas
> >> and is spending time at the library.  I need
> to know
> >> if he should be
> >> surprised by the vapor trails and the sink baths
> or if this
> >> is old hat to
> >> him.
> >> 
> >> Adam
> >> 
>