(WNY News Now) – Homelessness in New York State has more than doubled between January 2022 and January 2024, according to a report released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. The increase, driven by a mix of housing affordability challenges and a surge of asylum seekers, highlights a growing crisis across the state.
Sharp Rise Outpaces National Trends
New York’s homeless population grew by 53.1% between January 2023 and January 2024, far surpassing the national increase of 12.6%. The state accounted for 20% of the nation’s homeless population in 2024, second only to California.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reported that approximately 158,000 individuals in New York experienced homelessness in 2024. With a rate of eight homeless individuals per 1,000 residents, New York ranks third in the nation, behind Hawaii and Washington, D.C.
Children and Families Hit Hardest
Children now comprise nearly one-third of New York’s homeless population, with their numbers increasing from 20,299 in 2022 to 50,773 in 2024. “New York has long had a housing affordability crisis, and more families are running out of options and ending up on the street or in shelters,” DiNapoli said. “Many of the tens of thousands of asylum seekers that came to New York had no place to stay and drove up spending and a large portion of the growth of the homeless population. But let’s be clear, this isn’t just a New York City problem, it is impacting communities all over the state. New York needs to examine how it’s using current housing resources while taking more action to address this urgent situation.”
New York City Drives Growth, Upstate Areas Also Struggle
New York City accounted for 93% of the state’s overall increase, with the number of individuals in city-run shelters doubling to 89,119 by January 2024. Of these, 34,057 were asylum seekers.
Outside the city, Glens Falls and Saratoga regions reported homelessness surging by 138%, while Long Island and Westchester County saw some of the highest numbers of homeless individuals.
Efforts and Challenges
New York maintains the lowest share of unsheltered individuals at 3.6%, thanks in part to having the largest number of year-round emergency shelter beds in the U.S. However, gaps remain in permanent supportive housing and rapid rehousing resources, where New York lags behind other large states like California and Texas.
The state’s $25 billion housing plan aims to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes, yet transparency and measurable progress remain concerns. Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have also proposed affordable housing initiatives in their 2025 policy addresses.
Calls for Action
DiNapoli said more needs to be done to keep people in their homes and provide housing assistance, particularly to families with children. The state should carefully monitor and enhance reporting on the effectiveness of current programs and determine where additional resources may be needed, particularly for expanding rental assistance, and continue funding legal representation for low-income households facing eviction.
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