The Big Apple's Big Problem: Counting Sheep... er, Homeless New Yorkers
Ah, New York City. The city that never sleeps... unless you can't afford a place to sleep. That's right, folks, we're diving headfirst into the not-so-glamorous underbelly of the Big Apple: homelessness.
But first, a PSA: If you're picturing scenes straight out of Dickens, with raggedy folks huddled around fire barrels – hold on to your fedoras. While there are definitely New Yorkers living on the streets (more on that later), a big chunk of the homeless population finds refuge in shelters.
So, how many New Yorkers are playing musical beds with the Department of Homeless Services?
Now, this is where things get a little fuzzy. Counting homeless people is like herding cats – they're not exactly keen on filling out surveys while dodging pigeons. But according to the latest shelter snooze count in December 2023, a whopping 123,000 New Yorkers were catching some Zzzs in the city's homeless shelter system. That's more people than live in Reno, Nevada, baby!
Wait, 123,000? Isn't that just the shelters?
Bingo! You're a natural. Shelters are just one piece of the puzzle. There's also a whole population living on the streets, subways, or that friend's couch that's starting to smell suspiciously like regret. Unfortunately, counting these folks is even trickier than counting those who snagged a cot. Estimates range anywhere from 4,000 to 10,000, which is a pretty big range when you're talking about human lives.
So, the big reveal... how many homeless New Yorkers are there REALLY?
Honestly, no one knows for sure. It's like trying to count grains of sand on Coney Island beach (though probably less fun). The best estimate puts the number somewhere north of 100,000. That's a lot of people who aren't getting a good night's sleep under a roof.
But hey, at least they have Broadway, right?
Look, on a serious note, homelessness in NYC is a big issue. It's complex, and there are no easy answers. But hey, at least we can shed some light on how big the problem is, because the first step to solving a problem is admitting you have one (and maybe donating a warm blanket or two).
