Winter weather does typically bring more people to shelters which gives the city and nonprofits a better opportunity to help those in need.

Some people have been flagging what appears to be a growing homeless encampment near downtown Reno along Fourth Street.

Advocates say that particular areas are favored over others to set up a camp for a number of reasons.

"The camps around the railroad tracks grow a lot faster and it's because they are more out of sight and out of mind," said Grant Denton with the Karma Box Project. "When you are inside residential neighborhoods, you will be asked to move a little quicker and when you're around business areas, they are nudged a lot quicker, but here it's out of sight, out of mind." 

The group also tells us that although the amount of unsheltered people in Reno hasn't really increased, we are seeing a number of people who do not want to accept assistance. 

"We have a homeless services system that works at the rate of willingness and a lot of folks that are out here are either unwilling or unable to accept the services and it is difficult to create a system for folks that aren't willing to accept it," said Denton.

The group also tells us that winter weather typically brings more people to the shelters which gives the city and nonprofits a better chance to help those in need.Â