I can't remember if this was a short story or from a film (or a dream), but I think it is at least 10-15 years old. The homeless (as I recall) tended to live underground and would have stacks of books near them.

I only read English. It was set in an urban environment. The homeless tended to live underground, as if in abandoned subway tunnels. It had the vibe of 'Beauty and The Beast' (the show) or maybe 'War of The Worlds' (again, the show).