Very good point Jabber! They do that in Germany. Maybe that's why you don't see homeless people on the streets here.

There is a national homeless organisation that officially allows vacant rundown buildings to be occupied, if the homeless restore them. The material and know-how is government supplied. That way both the owner, who may not have the funds to renovate a building,and the homeless are helped. After completing the renovation, about 20% of the building is rented out, inorder to finance the costs. The rest of the building is for the homeless to live in. The program is fantastic, because the people take pride in their work. Once they have an address, many have an easier time finding jobs, and are even able to pay a minimum rent.