Coalition for the Homeless Statement on HOPE Survey Results

NEW YORK, June 17, 2022 — The following statement is in response to the Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) Survey results and can be attributed to Jacquelyn Simone, Policy Director with Coalition for the Homeless:

“As we have long said, the HOPE Survey is a significant undercount of the number of unsheltered New Yorkers due to methodological limitations – and changes to the methodology during the pandemic made the 2021 results even less accurate. Even so, it is clear that far too many New Yorkers are resorting to sleeping on the streets and in transit facilities because they feel they do not have better options. Mayor Adams must immediately halt his counterproductive, cruel sweeps that merely exacerbate trauma and push people further away from services, and must instead offer all unsheltered New Yorkers the permanent affordable and supportive housing they want and need and greater access to safe, low-barrier shelters with private rooms.”