Like many of Camden's homeless, Brian Barrett's slide into homelessness was sparked by an addiction that began several years ago. A former bricklayer, Barrett's growing heroin habit began consuming his paychecks. It got so bad he even started stealing from his mother.

By the summer of 2012, he was homeless.

Barrett has been in jail three times for drug-related offenses over the past year. With a criminal record, it's been challenging to find work. "Even for a dishwashing job they do background checks now, it's just crazy," he said.

He had been living in an abandoned storage trailer on the Rutgers University campus. But several weeks ago, when it become too cold to bear, he came to New Life Ministries, a church providing 75 cots for the homeless.

He says he's been sober for 57 days now, and he spends days in the library and nights in the shelter to avoid the streets.

"Camden is just a big drug market, that's all it is," he said. "I've talked to [my family] every day since I've got out of jail and I'm just trying to make amends right now, and hopefully that will lead to me going back with them."