Homelessness in New York State more than doubled between 2022 and 2024, significantly outpacing the national increase, according to a new report released in January 2025. The rise was largely fueled by the arrival of asylum seekers and exacerbated by growing housing costs and eviction rates.
New York accounted for nearly 20% of the nation’s homeless population in 2024, with over 158,000 people experiencing homelessness. This equates to eight per 1,000 residents, a rate exceeded only by Hawaii and Washington, D.C.
The influx of asylum seekers heavily impacted New York City, which saw a 127% increase in homelessness from 2022 to 2024, contributing to 93% of the state’s overall rise. By January 2024, New York City housed 68,000 asylum seekers, 34,057 of whom were in shelters run by the Department of Homeless Services.
While New York City experienced the most significant growth, other regions also reported surges. Areas such as Glens Falls and Syracuse saw homelessness increases of 138% and 67%, respectively. The number of homeless families and children statewide more than tripled, with children now accounting for 32.1% of the homeless population.
Despite the crisis, New York has one of the lowest rates of unsheltered homelessness nationally at 3.6%, thanks to legal mandates requiring shelter availability. However, the report highlighted that high housing costs remain a critical issue. Over 38% of New York households are considered cost-burdened, paying more than 30% of their income toward housing.
In response, New York has launched a $25 billion housing initiative to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes, including investments for homeless assistance. However, the report calls for enhanced tracking of state housing resources, expanded rental assistance, and increased legal representation for tenants facing eviction.
The findings underline the urgency for more transparent and effective measures to address the state’s housing and homelessness crisis.
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