Pandemic Causing New York’s Homeless Population to Grow

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were almost 92,000 homeless New Yorkers.

However, now due to a rise in unemployment, opioid use, domestic abuse, and more over the past few months, experts believe that number has grown.

“We’re seeing increases in homelessness now particularly among folks who were very unstably housed to begin with,” said Giselle Routhier, policy director for Coalition for the Homeless. “So folks who maybe were renting rooms or didn’t have a lease in their name. And we’re very concerned about what we might see moving forward once moratoriums end and people with actual leases start to get evicted amidst the economic upheaval.”