The mayor aimed to significantly reduce the homeless shelter population. The opposite has happened. Now, there’s a lot more blame to go around than ideas on what to do next.

The homeless have always been with us. But somewhere along the way they changed from an isolated population of alcoholic men to a visible problem affecting families with children.

Produced in close concert with advocates, the mayor’s 2004 initiative aimed for a paradigm shift in how the city approached homelessness. And it aimed to achieve it in record time.

The city and advocates argued over a series of issues. But they mostly joined forces to defend a crucial state program torpedoed by the state.

Some blame the collapse of a key housing program for high homeless numbers. Others say economic woes are still a factor.