It really is strange how our society will focus on a feel good story and it goes viral, while turning such a blind eye to the underlying issues. I was the general manager of a grocery store in downtown Eugene, Oregon for a number of years and I got a lot of practice interacting with homeless people (the grocery store was across the street from the downtown bus station). It was amazing how much they appreciated me treating them as human. Just walking up and smiling and sticking my hand out to shake and introducing myself and chatting for a minute before launching into whatever interaction I had to do, asking them to quit spare changing in front of our door, sleeping in the cardboard recycling, drinking in the parking lot, peeing behind someone's car - whatever it was - I had so many people literally thank me even though I was basically kicking them off the property. But they were thanking me for just treating them like a human. Really made me realize how so many people in society dehumanize the homeless for them to react as if me treating them like a person was a rare and noteworthy occurrence. And of course it made my life easier as well, I never once had one of these conversations turn confrontational.
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"...they were thanking me for just treating them like a human." Bingo. A common problem is that people think giving some change or whatever is "treating them like a human". As you say, I've found to be true: people who are homeless want to seen, and interacted with, as equal. And like you later said, it made working with them easier when needing them to clear out. The problem is that this requires connecting with others, and that is what is tricky for many people.