Posted on January 16, 2017 by Emma Whitford in Gothamist Gothamist, By Emma Whitford More homeless New Yorkers died during the last fiscal year than any other year since 2006, according to new data from the Department of Homeless Services. Advocates and city officials said that the increase is likely due, in part, to a concurrent increase in the size of New York’s overall homeless population. Since last fall, the shelter population has hovered around a record 60,000 individuals. That’s not including the harder-to-track street homeless population, homeless who use drop-in shelters, and homeless who may stay with friends or family. Between July 2015 and June 2016, 239 homeless people died in NYC, according to DHS. This marks an increase of 27 deaths from Fiscal Year 2015. The advocacy group Coalition for the Homeless advocated for DHS to start tracking homeless deaths in shelters and on the street back in the aughts. Deputy Policy Director Shelly Nortz said Monday that the latest numbers can only be a lowball, since homeless people aren’t necessarily on the city’s radar when they die. Some people use aliases, others may not have a next of kin. “It’s an imperfect thing,” Nortz said. “But it’s helpful nonetheless.”
