hobos and city spending

There's a story in the DI today that says that the Champaign City Council aproved a $700,000 plan to improve Sixth street between Green and Healey. I find this a bit incredible, that's one block, it's gunna cost $700,000?! Doesn't that seem a bit extreme? I don't know much about city goverment or infastructure but that seems like a lot of money for one block of wider sidewalks.

The story also says that they plan on installing benches. I think that's a bad idea. The hobos loiter on and around the benches that have already been installed. Installing more will only encourse more hobos to set up camp in Campustown. Maybe $700,000 could be spent on a very nice shelter, with very hall walls, for these hobos, instead of leting them harrass people on the street.