housing the homeless?

Official estimates say there are currently over 700,000 homeless people in the United States. About 40 percent of those live "unsheltered" on the streets, in a car, or in another place not intended for human habitation. the National Alliance to End Homelessness shows. According to a December report by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 52 percent of U.S. cities surveyed reported an increase in people experiencing homelessness in 2010, and emergency shelters in 64 percent of those cities said they've had to turn away families with children due to a lack of available beds. http://www.presstv.ir/usdetail/163468.html

Nearly 11 percent of US Houses are empty year-round. 18.4 million vacant homes in the U.S. in the last quarter of 2010. 471,000 homes are listed as "Held off Market" about half for temporary use, but the other half are likely foreclosures. http://www.cnbc.com/id/41355854

What ever happened to housing the homeless ?