New York City is spending more than ever on unsheltered homelessness — and getting worse results!
According to Fox News, a new state comptroller’s report shows the city has more than tripled its spending on people living on the streets since 2019, pouring nearly $368 million into services even as the unsheltered population continued to climb.
City data shows the number of unsheltered individuals rose from 3,588 in fiscal year 2019 to 4,504 in fiscal year 2025 — a 26% increase from pre-pandemic levels.
Over that same stretch, spending surged 262%, jumping from $102 million to nearly $368 million.
That translates to roughly $81,700 per unsheltered person in fiscal year 2025 — slightly higher than the city’s median household income, though the comparison is a broad benchmark and not a direct one.
The trend is clear: more taxpayer dollars, more people on the streets.
The report also highlights just how unique New York’s system is compared to other major cities.
Los Angeles — home to the nation’s second-largest homeless population — has roughly 71,000 homeless individuals, about half of New York City’s 2024 total. But about 70% of Los Angeles’ homeless population is unsheltered.
In New York City, by contrast, nearly 97% of homeless individuals are in shelters — a far larger share than in other cities.
The findings land squarely in the middle of a growing political fight over affordability and housing supply.
Soaring rents and a chronic shortage of low-cost housing continue to drive the crisis, putting pressure on City Hall to deliver results.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has proposed freezing rents on roughly 2 million stabilized apartments, part of a broader push to ease costs for tenants.
But many economists warn that rent freezes may offer short-term relief while worsening long-term supply issues — potentially deepening the very housing shortage fueling homelessness.
Mamdani’s $127 billion budget proposal also calls for higher taxes on wealthy residents and corporations, along with a possible 9.5% property tax increase if state lawmakers do not act.
Critics argue that piling on taxes while limiting rent growth could discourage investment, tighten supply, and make an already strained housing market even more fragile.
The city is spending at record levels.
More over at Fox News:
MORE THAN TRIPLED: New York City is now shelling out $81,700 per person in homelessness spending, passing the city's median income as the unsheltered population continues to soar, according to a state comptroller’s report.
The city's own numbers show the current homeless… pic.twitter.com/gWK1vSUjE8
— Fox News (@FoxNews) March 20, 2026
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