HOMELESSNESS BUSINESS THRIVING IN AUSTIN

I drive a similar route during the work week , and at loop 360 and Bee Caves I see the same 2 older guys with signs proclaiming veteran status and homelessness and god bless.
They are older men with knee braces.
Today there was a different guy there...whose sign proclaimed he was ashamed to admit he lost his job , had a family and needed help...and oh yeah , god bless...
These guys could be legit , I don't know for sure , but it seems odd to me that territory is staked out and seemingly shared.Time share intersections...interesting.
There's this other guy back up the road at Walsh Tarleton and loop 360 who has a sign that says he needs money for a bus ticket home....I have one small problem with this...he's been at this corner for almost 2 months. You could bum enough money for a one way ticket to anywhere from this intersection in 4 hours...something is amiss.
I'm beginning to think that standing on the side of the road with a pathetic face and equally pathetic sign is the new cottage industry here.
I miss the guy at Manchaca and Ben White who had a sign that read "3 dollars short of a 12 pack"...at least he was being honest.