I am glad to hear you have spent a lot of time working with nonprofits. Giving your time to organizations trying to help is admirable for sure.
First, progressive are the only ones who acknowledge the harsh reality which is why they are for things like harm reduction. Housing first, a very successful progressive housing program, challenges misconceptions about homelessness and has already proven itself effective.
Second, I have not seen any evidence in my lifetime that proves racism is right. In fact, progressives don't have to worry about any evidence that would make them look racist because there is none. Race itself is a societal construct with no science backing at all.
Third, Progressives care about measurable results. That is the point, to improve things through change. That is why a homeless programs will be evaluated for effectiveness with multiple metrics. Often times you find out something is not working so you change it and evaluate it again.
Your view of progressives is driven by feelings and not facts. I think ultimately you have just constructed a boogeyman to keep yourself from realizing the conservatives are the problem by both siding and using human nature as a convenient scapegoat.
I suppose you might think progressive=neo liberals. Neo liberals are certainly no friend to the homeless. They, just like the conservatives, use homelessness as punishment.