Record Level of Homelessness Reported in NYC

NewsOne

Coalition for the Homeless, an organization that develops cost-effective strategies to end mass homelessness in NYC, released their annual report today. According to the report, homelessness increased 8% in the past year, and has gone up 34% since Mayor Bloomberg took office in 2002.

The report makes it clear that under Bloomberg's current administration, federal housing aid has been denied to both homeless children and adults, a policy that has accounted for an increase of nearly 3,142 homeless families per night in New York City shelters.

Additionally, the coalition's report found the following:

- During FY 2010, a record 42,888 children slept in municipal shelters, a 9 percent increase from the previous year and 39 percent more than when the Mayor took office.

- During the same period a record 42,888 children slept in municipal shelters, a 9 percent increase from the previous year and 39 percent more than when the Mayor took office.

- During the same period a record 28,977 families slept in municipal shelters, a 10 percent increase from the previous year and a remarkable 81 percent more than when Mayor Bloomberg took office.

- On February 28, 2011, there were 39,542 homeless men, women, and children sleeping in the municipal shelter system, the highest nightly shelter census ever recorded.

Bloomberg replaced the Federal Housing Programs of past administrations with the Housing Stability Program and the Advantage Program, the latter of which was recently terminated.

[atimm@villagevoice.com]