The homelessness crisis has worsened dramatically in the blue state of New York in just two years, according to a report released Wednesday New York State Comptroller Thomas P. Dinapoli.
Between January 2022 and January 2024, homelessness reportedly more than doubled in the Empire State, while the rest of the nation saw only a 21 percent increase. According to the report, the massive influx of asylum seekers into New York City has caused a massive spike in homelessness.
“A growing number of New Yorkers face housing insecurity, with homelessness rising at an alarming rate in recent years,” Dinapoli said.
While the crisis was partly caused by eviction proceedings, a lack of affordable housing and rising rents, asylum seekers accounted for 88 percent of the increase in sheltered homelessness in New York, according to the report.
A homeless man sits with his belongings in a subway car in New York on December 27, 2024. (Robert Nickelsberg)
“The influx of asylum seekers was the key reason for the increase in the number of homeless people in New Yorkand even in some counties downstate,” DiNapoli said.
“Many of the tens of thousands of asylum seekers who came to New York had nowhere to stay and fueled consumption and much of the growth in the homeless population,” he continued.
A homeless tent is seen in a fenced area in New York City on December 27, 2024. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu)
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While OUR homelessness total hit a new peak last year, New Yorkers reportedly make up 20% of that at 158,000 people. The state’s homelessness rate, about 8 per 1,000 people, was higher than all states except Hawaii and the District of Columbia.
The spike in homelessness in New York is also largely driven by New York City, which accounts for 93% of the state’s total homeless population.
In addition, children under the age of 18 made up a third of the state’s homeless population, one of the highest shares in the country. The number of homeless children more than doubled between two years to 50,000 people.
A homeless man lies on the sidewalk in New York on December 27, 2024. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu)
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DiNapoli said more needs to be done to keep people in their homes, especially households with children.
According to the report, New York Governor Kathey Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced affordable housing proposals in their recent 2025 policy addresses.
New York State is also currently implementing a five-year, $25 billion housing plan “to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes,” according to the Office of Budget Policy and Analysis.
