ALBANY – The state’s overall homeless population declined in the past year, even as many communities outside New York City saw troubling increases, according to a new analysis issued Thursday by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Department’s (HUD) most recent data show that the homeless population in New York dropped from January 2024 by nearly 8 percent to 145,560 in January 2025. The decline of 12,459 people was the largest of any state and was driven primarily by declines in New York City. This drop follows a doubling in the homeless from January 2022 to January 2024. DiNapoli’s analysis also highlights the rise in homelessness in many parts of the state, including the Capital Region.
“While the number of homeless declined, there’s a lot of work left to do,” DiNapoli said. “The problem is widespread and it is not confined to major cities. In particular, the public, private and nonprofit sectors need to work together to address the crisis of so many children experiencing homelessness in New York.”…