alt Hacker NewsCA didn't spend money on solving homelessness, they spent money on feeding, sustaining and ultimately growing homelessness. The local politicians and the corrupt bureucratic mechanism that they have created, including the NGOs that a lot of that money is funneled to, have a vested interest in homelessness continuing.
How do you solve homelessness though? The root of the problem is some people won't take care of themselves. Some homeless just had bad luck, but many are drug addicts, mentally ill, or for whatever other reason just don't function enough to support themselves. I'm skeptical there is a solution you can throw money at.