SINGAPORE, Nov. 30 -- They sleep in stairwells, 24-hour fast-food chains, and on the couches of friends, experts at hiding in plain sight.

They are Singapore's hidden homeless: a growing number of young people under 35 who have been forced from their homes by family conflict or financial crisis.

Their stories, like that of 17-year-old Jemina who spent nights in playgrounds, reveal a largely unseen social problem that is quietly reaching a breaking point, The Straits Times reported.

"Even adults at my school saw me as being difficult rather than as one who was suffering," Jemina recalled of her time spent homeless as a teenager. "I was very alone."

While official street counts show that most rough sleepers are over 50, community groups...