New York Homeless Seeking Shelter Takes A Sharp Drop

Federal authorities say “sheltered homelessness” decreased by 12% in New York State last month.

“Sheltered homelessness” refers to people who do not have permanent homes but are staying in emergency shelters, transitional housing or other temporary settings.

In Oneonta, Will Rivera, Crisis Intervention Director for Opportunities for Otsego, tells CNY News “there are two options for sheltering homeless people in the region.”

The Opportunity House at 10 Depew Street in Oneonta and the Oneonta Warming Station, 189 Chestnut Street.

Sophie Szczepanski, a member of the Warming Station staff offered this to CNY News, “we offer a warm place for up to seven homeless people to to sleep. We also provide laundry, food, drinks, clothing, shoes, gloves, and coats at no charge.”

Szczepanski’s colleague Paul William added they “have the option of sending any overflow to area motels.”

Statewide 76,051 people were counted as staying in temporary housing on a single January night in 2021.

The number of people in shelters with families fell 20.3%. The number of homeless veterans decreased by 10%. And the number of sheltered individuals declined by 2.4%.

During the same period the number unaccompanied youth increased 14%.

The statistics were compiled by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

According to a press release, HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge says “the report suggests that federal Covid relief had positive impacts on sheltered homelessness. Yet we know that homelessness in America remains an urgent crisis.”