How Do People Become Homeless in New York?
Many myths persist about homelessness and those who experience it. Some of the most pernicious are in service to the lie that only certain types of people, for one reason or another, will lose stable housing. While some groups and individuals are more prone to being homeless, the truth is that anyone, under the just the wrong set of circumstances, could find themselves without a safe, reliable place to live. This blog post will examine how people become homeless in New York City, who is most susceptible to this condition and how one might work their way back from the brink.
How Does A New Yorker Become Homeless?
Although New York City consistently ranks as one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in, unaffordability is only one of the many causes of homelessness. As discussed in a previous blog post, domestic violence is responsible for approximately 40 percent of cases within the city shelter system. In all likelihood, even more homeless survivors of domestic violence reside unrecorded in places not zoned for human habitation.
Some other common ways for people to become homeless include:
- Losing a job
- Destruction of housing, such as fires, floods and other disasters
- Accumulation of medical bills and/or debt
- Losing section 8 housing or other housing vouchers
Who Is Most Susceptible to Becoming Homeless in New York?
As the previous section illustrates, practically anyone, through little to no fault of their own, could become homeless. Your company may downsize and lay you off. A careless neighbor may improperly store a lithium battery. You may get sick and medical debt piles up. Government policy may change and you are no longer eligible for certain benefits. All of which can and do lead to homelessness.
That said, according to data compiled by the New York State Comptroller in a report released in January of this year, some of the most vulnerable people include:
- Victims of domestic violence
- Families
- Hispanic people and Latinos
- Women
- Black people
- Minors
- The severely mentally ill
- Chronic substance abusers
- Veterans
- Members of the LGBTQ+ community
How Do You Prevent People From Becoming Homeless?
As mentioned above, there are many reasons why someone might become homeless, many of them entirely beyond that person’s control. However, you are not completely at the mercy of Fate. First and foremost, you should build a safety net consisting of reliable family members, loved ones, churches and/or community groups. [1] Next, you should educate yourself regarding government assistance programs, your rights and other protections you may be entitled to if the worst comes to pass. [Ibid.]
Those facing possible homelessness have many resources available through all levels of government as well as through nonprofit organizations. A great place to start is New York’s Homelessness Prevention Administration (HPA), reachable through this link or by calling the DSS OneNumber at 718-557-1399.
In addition to cash assistance, those facing eviction, harassment, disrepair and other housing-related issues may contact HPA’s Office of Civil Justice for free legal representation, advice and other legal assistance. For more information, click here.
For those experiencing homelessness as well as those wishing to help their fellow New Yorkers, Mentor A Promise and its network of partner organizations are an invaluable resource.
Contact Mentor A Promise Today
Our organization recognizes the immense potential within each individual and seeks to provide them with the educational resources and opportunities they need to thrive. To that end, we have built a strong network of family shelters, educational institutions and community organizations to support homeless children, youths and their families. Click these links to learn more about what we offer or to get involved. Together, we can break the cycle of homelessness.
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