Sydney is awash with commemorative plaques.
There are brass shingles to governors, poets, explorers, bankers, politicians — the list goes on.
They tend to be prominent, powerful and successful.
But there's a move afoot to honour a long-term homeless man with a plaque of his own at Sydney's Martin Place — recognising that up to 300 people have nowhere to sleep each night in the city.
The man, Henry "Hank" Maslak, died on Christmas Eve in Sydney's St. Vincent's Hospital and was mourned by many.
Despite doing it tough, he was well known and admired among the city's rough sleepers and those providing services to the homeless, including the Orange Sky mobile laundry, the Footpath Library and Vinnies Night Patrol.
He was a regular at the tea, coffee and library service on Tuesday nights at Martin Place, the site proposed for the plaque.
In a recent documentary on his life Hank showed he hadn't lost his humour despite life's slings and arrows.
"I used to have another name in my previous life, but now they call me 'Hank Homeless'," he said in the documentary.
"You can't call us homeless anymore, it's politically incorrect.
"(Now) It's residentially challenged, but 'Hank residentially challenged' doesn't have the same ring to it, does it?"
Mr Maslak's backstory is typical of many homeless people.
Changed circumstances took the roof from over his head and washed away the advantages of a happy childhood, good education and successful work life.
"I remember walking past this bloke sleeping on the St James [Court] steps and I thought: 'I wonder what happened to that poor bastard?' And three months later, move over, I was next to him.
"I was just so surprised how quickly it happened."
City of Sydney deputy mayor Linda Scott is supporting the push by Maslak's friends to keep his memory alive and accept homeless people are part of the life of the city.
She said putting the plaque in Martin Place would be a powerful symbol.
"Martin Place is an incredibly important public space for our city and that means it should be accessible for everybody — both the heights of our city's wealth, but also those who are most vulnerable," she said.
"And I think some recognition of Hank and the people sleeping rough [would] be an important contribution for the future."
The Council will vote on Monday night on whether to endorse the homeless memorial proposal.
