NYC spends more per homeless person than a typical household earns in a year, data shows

"New York City has more than tripled spending on unsheltered homelessness since 2019, shelling out nearly $368 million even as the number of people living on the streets continued to rise, according to a state comptroller's report. The city's own numbers show the unsheltered population grew from 3,588 in fiscal year 2019 to 4,504 in fiscal year 2025, a 26% increase from pre-pandemic levels."

"That works out to roughly $81,700 per unsheltered person in FY 2025 - slightly more than the city's median household income, though the comparison is only a broad benchmark since public spending and household earnings are not directly comparable. The numbers show the city is pouring in more money while the street homeless population continues to grow."

"Los Angeles, the city with the next-largest homeless population, has about 71,000 homeless people, roughly half of New York City's 2024 total, and about 70% of them are unsheltered. In New York City, by contrast, nearly 97% of the homeless population is in shelters."

New York City has increased spending on unsheltered homelessness by 262% from $102 million in fiscal year 2019 to nearly $368 million in fiscal year 2025. During this same period, the unsheltered population grew from 3,588 to 4,504 people, representing a 26% increase. This spending translates to approximately $81,700 per unsheltered person annually, slightly exceeding the city's median household income. Despite these substantial investments, the street homeless population continues to rise. New York's shelter system remains unusually large compared to other major cities; Los Angeles has roughly half New York's homeless population with about 70% unsheltered, while New York shelters nearly 97% of its homeless population. Housing affordability, soaring rents, and low-cost housing shortages remain central to the homelessness crisis.

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