Number of New York City street homeless grew by nearly 40 percent in one year
By
Philip Guelpa
11 July 2017
The number of homeless people living on the streets in New York City increased dramatically over the past year, according to figures supplied by the Department of Homeless Services. The annual count conducted by the agency on a single night in February 2017 showed 3,892 unsheltered people living “in the rough,” up nearly 40 percent from the 2,794 counted the previous February.
The latest number is the second highest since the city began counting its unsheltered population back in 2005, when the total was 4,395. This is in addition to the tens of thousands living in homeless shelters.
In an apparent attempt to obscure the bad news, the administration of “progressive” mayor Democrat Bill de Blasio waited until the Fourth of July holiday to release the new data, roughly five months after it was collected, in the hope that no one would notice. But the new data dramatically illustrates the effects of the twin crises of growing poverty and acute lack of affordable housing in New York City.
The new numbers of street homeless are likely to under-represent the true situation. They are based on an annual one-night survey by canvassers who attempt to locate as many people sleeping “in the rough” as they can find. This method has inherent weaknesses and is subject to year-to-year fluctuations due to uncontrolled variables, such as weather, which affect the numbers of homeless who are identifiable. Nevertheless, the marked upward spike is significant.
Furthermore, since many homeless people have a well-grounded fear of contact with any government representatives, due to mental illness, substance abuse, or general mistreatment, particularly by the police, as well…