Overview
- The state comptroller reports New York City spent $368 million on Street Homeless Solutions in fiscal 2025, equating to roughly $81,000 per unsheltered person and reflecting system‑wide costs rather than direct payments.
- Outlays more than tripled since 2019, rising from $102 million, with much of the growth tied to expanding low‑barrier beds intended to draw people wary of traditional shelters.
- The unsheltered count increased 26% since 2019 to 4,505, while the overall homeless population is about 140,000, with the city reporting shelter provided to roughly 97% of that group.
- Spending on services for unsheltered individuals is projected by the comptroller to reach about $456 million in fiscal 2026, as outside analysts note the per‑person figure roughly matches the city’s median household income.
- Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration signed a three‑year $1.86 billion hotel contract for housing and reinstated encampment sweeps, while Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and other officials call for clearer accounting and outcome tracking.