A large "anti-homeless" barrier installed in the doorway of an empty shop has sparked outrage.
The sloping wall was recently built to stop rough sleepers from sheltering inside the entrance to the disused building in Littlehampton, West Sussex.
Local residents said a shelter used by at least one homeless person had been set up at the spot but was taken down.
A local man, who was once homeless, has described the barrier as "very disrespectful, while other residents said it was "hostile" or would do nothing to solve the problem in the seaside town.
Eddie, a former rough sleeper now living in a council house, told the BBC: "Blocking that doorway is very disrespectful to be honest.
"What's that ramp about? Stop it.
"How about people actually going up to the person who is sleeping in the doorway and asking 'how are you doing?'."
After Eddie's marriage broke down, he was living on the streets for three-and-a-half years.
Eddie, now living in a council house, believes there is still a lack of support for the homeless in Littlehampton.
A local charity worker said: "There is a gap in the services in Littlehampton and that is a worry for all the charities."
She added that Turning Tides offer services, including a Littlehampton Community Hub, which states it "provides a vital service to those that are homeless" in the area.
The town does not have a hostel and the sloping barrier installed outside the disused shop has taken away another shelter for rough sleepers.
There has been recent backlash in Bournemouth after benches that prevented people lying on them were installed, in an attempt to stop the homeless sleeping in the area.
Similar ramps to the ones in Littlehampton were also installed in Oxford two years ago.
Speaking to the BBC, one resident said: "That feels quite hostile to me because someone sleeping in that shelter overnight is not really doing any harm at all."
Another man said that he believed the barrier would add to the problem.
One woman said: "Homeless people cannot get a place to live. There's plenty of empty houses around this place, so why can't they put them in there?"
Charities have said they are working with councils to provide more facilities for the homeless in Littlehampton.
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