Although this report only covers NYC, it is probably true that homelessness in the rest of the state is rising as well. Without a commitment to low and affordable housing investment from the state, it seems inevitable.
Increase in homeless singles due to lack of supportive housing
By Brendan Cheney
08/26/2016
The increase in homeless single adults in New York City is due to a lack of currently available affordable and supportive housing, according a report released by the Coalition for the Homeless on Friday.
The report found that the city placed fewer people in supportive housing in the city’s fiscal year 2015 and the first half of fiscal year 2016 than in 2014, and so the number of single adults in the city’s shelters has continued to increase during Mayor Bill de Blasio’s first two and a half years.
De Blasio has committed to creating 15,000 units of supportive housing over the next 15 years and Governor Andrew Cuomo has committed to 20,000 units.
The Coalition for the Homeless report accuses Cuomo and the state of dragging its feet on actually producing the new supportive housing, while the city is making progress. The group calls on Cuomo and the state legislature to sign the required memorandum of understanding that would release the roughly $2 billion in the state budget for supportive housing and for the state and city to quickly open new scatter site supportive housing.
The report also says many private landlords are refusing to accept homeless people with housing vouchers and calls on the city crack down on unlawful discrimination.
See the report here: http://bit.ly/2bFJgZD