The homelessness crisis has dramatically worsened in the blue state of New York within just two years, according to a report released Wednesday by New York State Comptroller Thomas P. Dinapoli.

Between January 2022 to January 2024, homelessness reportedly more than doubled in the Empire State, while the rest of the nation only saw a growth of 21 percent. According to the report, the mass arrival of asylum seekers in New York City caused the massive jump in homelessness.

“An increasing number of New Yorkers are experiencing housing insecurity, with an alarming increase in recent years in the number of homeless,” Dinapoli said.  

While the crisis was partially driven by eviction proceedings, lack of affordable housing and increased rent, asylum seekers accounted for 88 percent of the increase in sheltered homelessness in New York City, according to the report.

While U.S. homelessness has overall reached a new peak last year, New Yorkers reportedly account for 20% of it at 158,000 people. The state’s rate of homelessness, at about 8 per 1,000 people, was higher than every state except for Hawaii and the District of Columbia.

The spike in New York’s homelessness was also mainly driven by New York City, which accounted for 93% of the state’s total number of homeless.

Additionally, children under the age of 18 made up a third of the state’s homeless population, one of the highest shares in the nation. The number of homeless children has more than doubled between the two years to 50,000 people. 

A homeless person lies on the sidewalk in New York on Dec. 27, 2024. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu)

DiNapoli said more needs to be done to help keep people in their homes, especially households with children.  

According to the report, New York Gov. Kathey Hochul and New York City Mayor Eric Adams have announced affordable housing proposals in their recent 2025 policy addresses.

New York state is also currently implementing a five-year $25 billion housing plan “to create or preserve 100,000 affordable homes,” according to the Office of Budget Policy and Analysis.