Yes, there is a vast difference between panhandlers, tent dwellers, buskers, etc. The vast majority of homeless are invisible to the public, they are too busy hustling from one side of town to another to eat, make appointments [[VA, legal, food pantries, social workers, benefits, medical, etc.), catch their breath at a day shelter [[or stay out of the harsh elements), etc. I'm not a big fan of "caste systeming" the poor, but it occurs often. That is why some shelter programs are designed for those making a [[sober and sane) effort to improve. Heck! although I never once panhandled, I noticed different panhandlers operate differently [[cup shakers, sign-flyers, "S'pange"-mutterers, vendors -used to be an awesome one that hung out in front of the Majestic-, task-inventors, and even those that operate through a facility that gets them a vendor's license to sell a homeless newsrag for a base price of $1.). However, many of the aggressive ones are not homeless at all, and you will never find them in community kitchens, shelters, social service offices, or other such locations commonly populated by the homeless.
One of my first bosses when I lived in Boston was a tent city dwellers and local Irish-genius eccentric who operated a bookstand right in Harvard Square. He had a system and he knew the loopholes that allowed him [[one of them being that some town charters will allow the sale of ice, cut flowers, and any printed material can be sold for no more than $2) to stay there in a public location with no license. He was a celebrity to many, perched in front of the tobacco shop, with his wife and "kids" [[dogs), playing Grateful Dead out of speakers attached to his bike-rig, accepting printed donations, had a storage space, and always full of a sharp-witted tongue.