What to Know
- People spending the night at NYC homeless shelters has reached a record high, according to figures released in September
- The Department of Homeless Services said there are nearly 60,000 homeless people in the city — an 18 percent rise since 2014
- De Blasio administration officials say the numbers would be even higher if it weren't for investments made by the mayor
An official city count shows that the number of people spending the night in New York City's homeless shelters has reached a record high.
The Department of Homeless Services figures, released Thursday, indicate that the city's homeless count has reached nearly 60,000 people under the leadership of Mayor Bill de Blasio.
During his campaign, de Blasio asserted that battling New York's homelessness issue would be a top priority of his administration.
Since de Blasio assumed office in 2014, the number of people using the city's shelters increased by 18 percent. But administration officials say the numbers would be even higher without investments made to a number of programs aimed at helping the city's homeless.
The city allocated $1.3 billion to the Department of Homeless Services in the current year's budget.
