There Are 80,000 Homeless Kids in New York City
Like his predecessor, Mayor Bill de Blasio promised to lower the staggering rate of homelessness in New York City. Unlike his predecessor, his strategy has not consisted of hectoring the homeless for their plight while cutting their access to housing programs.
Still, the number of homeless families in New York continues to rise, especially in traditionally middle-class neighborhoods that have seen rapid growth (e.g. gentrification), as the Daily News notes. According to a report by the Institute for Children, Poverty & Homelessness, 12,000 families are currently sleeping in shelters, including 24,000 kids. That's a 250% jump in 20 years.
In reality, the city's homelessness problem is far more dire because many homeless families don't get into shelters. According to school records highlighted in the report, close to 80,000 kids have experienced homelessness in the past year.
"For every child in shelter, there were roughly two additional children who were homeless and living in unstable conditions," the authors note. That could mean doubling up with another family or sleeping on the subway or in a car.
"Unless something is done to address the underlying issues driving families into extreme poverty, more children will become homeless," the report concludes.
While New York leads the pack in horrifyingly high rates of homelessness, cities across the country continue to see increases in the number of homeless families.
A 2013 estimate by the Department of Education highlighted by the Huffington Post found an 8 percent increase in homeless students in just one year.
