THE BURNED OVER DISTRICT

The "nobody" being whichever authority figure who will arrest or evict the homeless of NYC from whatever public facility that are using to snatch a moment of comfort from. New York City does make an effort to provide shelter for all, but those who avoid them cite a lack of safety as the reason for staying away.

Deborah Absalam, who said she has lived on the streets since 1997, has come to rely on the bus terminal for shelter and other facilities.

The 55-year-old woman describes sneaking a wash in the Port Authority bathroom each morning. It’s prohibited, but can be done. “If nobody sees you, it’s allowed,” she said standing in the basement of nearby Penn Station, where Amtrak, New Jersey Transit, the Long Island Railroad and city subway lines converge.

Her daily routine — sleeping on trains, bathing in public bathrooms, relying on about $5 worth of panhandling change to buy breakfast — is all too common for those down on their luck in New York City.

The charity Coalition For The Homeless estimates that as of September there were 58,000 people in the city shelters. But shelters can be dangerous for vulnerable members of the homeless community, according to those who opt to stay away.

According to a New York City census conducted earlier this week,(PDF) "Of the 58,913 individuals in shelter there are 12,316 families with minor children and 2,135 adult families. There are 11,357 single adults."

The city's Deptment of Homeless Services said that according to an annual estimate last conducted in January 2014 about three to four thousand people sleeping outside each night in New York. The agency said it could not respond to "anecdotal" accounts of dangerous conditions at indoor havens for the homeless, adding that many families sleep each night at public facilities.

“In New York City, there is a legal right to shelter all eligible families and individuals in need," the DHS said in a statement. "This mandate requires us to provide a comprehensive system of services to homeless New Yorkers, treating them with dignity and respect.”

“It’s OK if you like playing razor tag,” said Joe, 25, a young man who begs to feed a heroin habit that he says he’s trying to quit. Razor tag refers to the slashing of someone with a razor, then running away. Afraid of violence, Joe said he only stayed a few nights at a shelter before he selected to sleep on the sidewalk instead.

So it goes with the least among us.