• During this year the number of homeless New Yorkers residing in shelters each night has reached the highest point in New York City's history. In December 2004 some 36,200 homeless men, women, and children were sleeping each night in the New York City shelter system, including 15,000 children, 12,600 adult family members, and 8,600 single adults. Thousands more sleep on city streets, park benches, and subway trains.

• Since 1998 the New York City homeless shelter population has increased by 72 percent, from 21,100 people in shelters each night to 36,200 people per night currently.

• Over the past six years, the number of homeless families sleeping in New York City shelters and welfare hotels has increased by 95 percent, from 4,429 families at the end of January 1998 to 8,633 families at the end of December 2004. The average stay for homeless families in the municipal shelter system has nearly doubled over the past decade, from six months in 1992 to nearly twelve months today.

• The number of homeless single adults sleeping in the New York City shelter system has increased by 41 percent since 1994, from an average of 6,100 people per night to 8,600 people per night in 2004. The number of homeless single adults sleeping in shelters currently is at the highest point since 1990.

• Over a recent nine-year period (1987 through 1995), 333,482 different homeless men, women, and children utilized the municipal shelter system in New York City. This represents nearly one of every twenty New York City residents. During a recent five-year period (1987 through 1992), nearly one of every ten black children and one of every twenty Latino children in New York City resided in the homeless shelter system.

• Approximately 90 percent of homeless New Yorkers are black or Latino, although only 53 percent of New York City's total population is black or Latino.

• Over 60 percent of homeless families previously resided in four of New York City's poorest neighborhoods (the South Bronx, Harlem, Bedford-Stuyvesant, and East New York). Over half of homeless mothers in New York City have a history of domestic violence.

• Surveys show that nearly three-quarters of homeless individuals sleeping on the streets suffer from chronic mental illness. It is also estimated that, on a given day, between 40 and 50 percent of homeless single adults residing in the municipal shelter system have a chronic mental illness.

• Permanent housing for homeless families and individuals costs less than shelter and other emergency care. The cost of sheltering a homeless family in the New York City Shelter system is $36,000 per year, while the cost of shelter for a homeless individual is $23,000 per year. In contrast, a supportive housing apartment with services costs as little as $12,500 per year, and rental assistance with support services for a family costs as little as $8,900 per year.

Current Data on New York City's Homeless Population

The number of homeless children and adults sleeping in New York City shelters has reached all-time record levels. Following is a breakdown of the New York City homeless shelter population in December 2004:

• Total number of homeless adults and children sleeping each night in shelters and welfare hotels: 36,248

• Number of homeless families in shelters: 8,633

• Number of homeless children in shelters: 15,005

• Number of homeless adult family members in shelters: 12,588

• Average daily census of homeless single adults (men and women): 8,655

• Average daily census of homeless single men: 6,590

• Average daily census of homeless single women: 2,065

• Children and their families comprise 75 percent of the New York City shelter population.

Basic Facts about Housing

Over the past decade, New York City lost more than half a million low-cost apartments. The widening affordable housing gap impacts New York City households across a wide range of incomes, from homeless families and individuals to moderate-income renters.

All facts provided by The Coalition for the Homeless.