According to an Associated Press article by Todd Lewan in the Seattle Times on Monday, April 9:

"An 2006 report by the National Coalition for the homeless found 142 attacks last year against homeless people, 20 of which resulted in death - a 65 percent increase from 2005, when 86 were violently assaulted, including 13 homicides."

Todd Lewan goes on to further report:

"Such attacks no longer occur just in major cities on the East and West coasts, as was the case in the 1980's."