That's crazy, although I was 11 when this was going on...so I'm guessing the eyes of a child may not be a great reference here.
What I do remember in 2000 when I was there....WebTV, WebVan, Yahoo Auctions, and having Lycos go fetch a search....that's when I was 12.
I do remember everyone had prejudice against the homeless, and I vaguely remember talk of trying to oust them.