In recent years, homelessness in New York City has reached its highest level since the Great Depression of the 1930s.

In March 2021, 54,667 homeless people slept in New York City's municipal shelter system every night, including 16,956 homeless children. Nearly a record 20,790 single adults slept in shelters in March 2021.

During fiscal 2020, 122,926 various homeless men, women, and children slept in the New York City Municipal Shelter System. This number includes over 39,300 homeless children.

In 2015, families entering orphanages came primarily from several neighboring zip codes in the poorest neighborhoods of New York City. Now, however, homeless families and single adults come from every zip code in New York City before being admitted to shelters.

The number of homeless New Yorkers sleeping every night in municipal shelters is 39 percent more than a decade ago. The number of homeless single adults is 109 percent higher than a decade ago.

Research shows that the main reason for homelessness, especially among families, is the lack of affordable housing. A study of homeless families identified the following main immediate, provoking causes of homelessness: eviction, shared or heavily overcrowded housing, domestic violence, job loss, and unsafe home conditions.

Studies show that, compared to homeless families, single adults who are homeless have much higher rates of serious mental illness, addictions, and other serious health problems.

Every night, thousands of homeless people sleep on the streets of New York, on the subway, and in other public places. There is no exact figure for the number of homeless people in New York City, and recent urban studies significantly underestimate the number of homeless people in New York City.

Research shows that the vast majority of homeless New Yorkers are people with mental illness or other serious health problems.

Blacks and Hispanics / Hispanics in New York City disproportionately suffer from homelessness. Roughly 57 percent of heads of household in shelters are Black, 32 percent are Hispanic / Latino, 7 percent are White, less than 1 percent are Asian American or Native American, and 3 percent are of unknown race / ethnicity.