What's happened
Recent reports reveal that official figures significantly understate the number of homeless children in New York City, with fewer than 31,000 children in shelters despite over 150,000 experiencing homelessness according to advocacy groups. The discrepancy stems from definitions that exclude doubled-up living arrangements, which are not counted as homelessness by city agencies.
What's behind the headline?
The discrepancy between official and advocacy-reported figures highlights a systemic issue in how homelessness is measured. City agencies exclude 'doubled-up' arrangements, which many consider a form of housing insecurity, thus underreporting the true scale. This misclassification skews public perception and hampers targeted policy responses. The migrant crisis has further complicated the situation, inflating shelter numbers but not reflecting broader housing instability. Accurate data is essential for effective policy; undercounting fosters complacency and inadequate resource distribution. Moving forward, policymakers must adopt more comprehensive metrics that include all forms of housing insecurity to address the real scope of homelessness in New York City.
What the papers say
The New York Post reports that city officials claim fewer than 31,000 children live in shelters, but advocacy groups like Advocates for Children of New York report over 150,000 children experiencing homelessness, including those doubled-up with relatives. The discrepancy arises from differing definitions of homelessness, with city agencies excluding doubled-up arrangements from their counts. The Post criticizes this as a form of dishonesty that distorts the true scale of the crisis. Meanwhile, advocacy groups argue that the official figures obscure the severity of housing instability, which is worsened by the migrant crisis increasing shelter populations. The debate underscores the importance of transparent, comprehensive data to inform effective policy responses.
How we got here
The city’s official homelessness data relies on federal definitions that exclude families living doubled-up with relatives, despite many children experiencing housing instability. The migrant crisis has increased shelter numbers, but the official count remains low. Advocacy groups argue that this misrepresentation hampers effective policy responses and resource allocation.
Go deeper
More on these topics