>Besides showing great concern about homelessness, the poll indicated that while Silicon Valley residents are anxious to help alleviate the problem, they are less enthusiastic when the solutions include providing homeless shelters and housing in their own neighborhoods.

I think that says most of it right there. We've cultivated an environment where paying lip service towards a cause is more important than actually doing anything about it. Real solutions are too easy to attack, so the only safe position is speaking platitudes.