New York state’s homelessness crisis has worsened dramatically in just two years, according to a report released Wednesday new york state Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli.

According to reports, the number of homeless people in New York State more than doubled between January 2022 and January 2024, while the number of homeless people in the rest of the United States increased by only 21%. The influx of asylum seekers into New York City has led to a significant increase in homelessness, the report said.

“More and more New Yorkers are facing housing insecurity, and homelessness has increased alarmingly in recent years,” DiNapoli said.

While the crisis is partly due to eviction proceedings, a lack of affordable housing and rising rents, asylum seekers account for 88% of the increase in sheltered homelessness in New York City, the report said.

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On December 27, 2024, a homeless man sat in a New York City subway car with his belongings. (Robert Nickelsberg)

“The influx of asylum seekers is a key reason for the rise in homelessness in new york cityeven in some southern counties,” DiNapoli said.

He continued: “Many of the tens of thousands of asylum seekers who come to New York have no place to live, which increases expenses and contributes to the growth of a large portion of the homeless population.”

On December 27, 2024, a homeless man’s tent was in a cordoned off area in New York. (Selçuk Akar/Anadolu)

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although us homeless The overall population reached a new peak last year, with New Yorkers reportedly accounting for 20% of the population, at 158,000. The state’s homelessness rate is about 8 per 1,000 people, higher than any state except Hawaii and the District of Columbia.

New York’s surge in homelessness has also been largely driven by New York City, which accounts for 93% of the state’s homeless population.

Additionally, children under the age of 18 make up one-third of the state’s homeless population, one of the highest rates in the nation. In two years, the number of homeless children has more than doubled to 50,000.

On December 27, 2024, a homeless man lay on the sidewalk in New York. (Selçuk Akar/Anadolu)

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DiNapoli said more needs to be done to help people stay in their homes, especially families with children.

According to reports, New York State Governor Kathey Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced affordable housing proposals in the recent 2025 policy address.

The state is also currently implementing a five-year, $25 billion housing plan “to create or preserve 100,000 units of affordable housing,” according to the Office of Budget Policy and Analysis.