It is estimated that there are more than 90,000 individuals experiencing homelessness in New York state. Many experts believe that this is a significant underestimation that does not capture, for example, all of the people living out of their cars or “couch surfing.” This crisis is not limited to our large cities but affects our rural and suburban communities as well.

While many people assume that mental health and substance abuse are the primary causes of homelessness in the United States, in fact, the top four causes of homelessness, in order, are lack of affordable housing, unemployment, poverty and low wages. Individuals experiencing homelessness face mounting challenges, from availability of affordable housing and the resumption of thousands of eviction proceedings following the lifting of the moratorium related to COVID-19 to accessibility to quality and consistent mental and physical healthcare.