New York’s population living on the streets and subways is down slightly from the 2020 pre-pandemic survey, according to a new city survey, but homeless advocates say the number isn’t. reliable.
The 2022 estimate, released late on Thursday, showed about 3,400 people without work the night of January 25, down 11% from 3,900 on January 27, 2020. The figure does not include people living in shelters.
Less than 1,000 people tested on January 26, 2021but officials said the big drop was clearly due to the subways, where many homeless people congregate in the frigid weather, which were closed nightly for cleanups to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. .
City used different methods Jacquelyn Simone, policy director for the Coalition for the Homeless, said that to survey the number of homeless during the pandemic, it is difficult to compare the new estimate with last year’s estimate.
She says the change in methods requires a “big warning”.
The new survey, called the Homeless Outreach Population Estimate, is the first to be released under Mayor Eric Adams as he seeks to deliver on campaign promise. make New York saferin part, by moving non-crowded people away from the subway system.
Most of those surveyed this year are in the subway system. The landing teams counted about 2,100 people on the ground, compared with 1,300 on the ground. The opposite was true in 2020, when 1,700 people were counted underground and 2,200 people counted above ground.
In February, a month after the city’s survey was conducted, Mr. Adams and Governor Kathy Hochul reveal a plan deployed police officers and mental health officers in the New York City subways. Their mission at the time was to move more than 1,000 homeless people who regularly shelter there into shelters or other facilities.
A month later, Mr. Adams announced his plan to clean up detention camps where homeless people live, a move that has drawn fierce criticism from advocates, who say the city is doing little to help displaced people. .
In April, Mr. Adams offer $171 million investment in homeless services, including 900 new specialized shelter beds in facilities with more services. That plan would expand on a program begun under Bill de Blasio, Mr. Adams’ predecessor, to provide temporary dedicated beds for residents. leave the street. Points at high-quality facilities have fewer restrictions, including the absence of a curfew. Some have private rooms instead of barracks-style rooms.
This week, mayor release a multi-year plan to address New York City’s growing housing crisis, says he will make rent and home ownership more affordable, help homeless people find permanent housing and invest into the New York City Housing Authority, the largest agency of its kind in the United States. Critics argue that he has not invested enough to address the problem in a meaningful way.
