WASHINGTON _ Before President Donald Trump picked him to reshape the nation's programs for the homeless, Robert Marbut Jr. had already built a complicated legacy as a consultant in California cities and across the country.
In Fresno, Marbut left a lasting impression when he "embedded" in camps and recommended policies that some worried downplayed the importance of providing shelter to homeless people. Fresno rejected his major recommendations.
In St. Petersburg, Fla., where officials took most of his suggestions, he's remembered as helping provide a shelter for homeless people, but one that many found too strict.
