Thousands of Vacant Apartments in NYC Leave Homeless Struggling
New York City's supportive housing crisis deepened as thousands of apartments reserved for formerly homeless New Yorkers sit idle, leaving those in dire need without a roof over their heads. The city's Department of Social Services reported nearly 3,200 vacant units, with most being overseen by the state. This comes at a time when shelter populations are soaring and a near-record-high number of people – 87,000 on any given night – are struggling to survive on the streets or in public spaces.
Critics argue that the city's failure to fill these vacancies is a major contributor to the crisis. "There's no excuse for us to have such high vacancy rates when there are so many people who are desperately in need of this housing and these services," said Councilmember Lincoln Restler, who sponsored legislation requiring regular reporting on the vacancies.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has pledged to prioritize filling the empty apartments, but experts warn that the issue is more complex than just a simple matter of allocation. The state's Office of Mental Health operates about two-thirds of the vacant units, and Commissioner Ann Marie Sullivan acknowledged that their approach may not accurately reflect the citywide vacancies.
Sullivan announced plans to spend an additional $65 million on "housing first" initiatives, which allow individuals to move directly from the streets into permanent supportive housing without a lengthy stay in a shelter or treatment. However, concerns remain about the effectiveness of this model and its potential impact on the city's complex housing landscape.
One issue is the scarcity of affordable units, particularly for those who prefer not to live with roommates. Pascale Leone, executive director of the Supportive Housing Network of New York, emphasized that people often need time to recover from homelessness and may be hesitant to share space with strangers.
As temperatures plummeted across the five boroughs, at least 17 people died on the streets or in public spaces – some of whom were homeless. Advocates are warning that thousands of vacant supportive housing units could make a significant dent in addressing this crisis if filled promptly.
"It's a matter of life and death," said Craig Hughes, a social worker with Legal Services NYC's Tenants Rights Coalition. "We urge the city to streamline its application process, rehab 'offline' units, and stop providers from denying applicants based on their level of need."
The city's data may not paint an accurate picture of the vacancy issue, however, as some apartments listed as empty actually refer to nonprofit providers struggling to find affordable spaces for tenants. The state is considering additional funding for these programs, but critics argue that more needs to be done to address the root causes of the crisis.
As the city grapples with this complex issue, one thing is clear: thousands of vacant supportive housing units are a ticking time bomb for those struggling on the streets.
New York City's supportive housing crisis deepened as thousands of apartments reserved for formerly homeless New Yorkers sit idle, leaving those in dire need without a roof over their heads. The city's Department of Social Services reported nearly 3,200 vacant units, with most being overseen by the state. This comes at a time when shelter populations are soaring and a near-record-high number of people – 87,000 on any given night – are struggling to survive on the streets or in public spaces.
Critics argue that the city's failure to fill these vacancies is a major contributor to the crisis. "There's no excuse for us to have such high vacancy rates when there are so many people who are desperately in need of this housing and these services," said Councilmember Lincoln Restler, who sponsored legislation requiring regular reporting on the vacancies.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani has pledged to prioritize filling the empty apartments, but experts warn that the issue is more complex than just a simple matter of allocation. The state's Office of Mental Health operates about two-thirds of the vacant units, and Commissioner Ann Marie Sullivan acknowledged that their approach may not accurately reflect the citywide vacancies.
Sullivan announced plans to spend an additional $65 million on "housing first" initiatives, which allow individuals to move directly from the streets into permanent supportive housing without a lengthy stay in a shelter or treatment. However, concerns remain about the effectiveness of this model and its potential impact on the city's complex housing landscape.
One issue is the scarcity of affordable units, particularly for those who prefer not to live with roommates. Pascale Leone, executive director of the Supportive Housing Network of New York, emphasized that people often need time to recover from homelessness and may be hesitant to share space with strangers.
As temperatures plummeted across the five boroughs, at least 17 people died on the streets or in public spaces – some of whom were homeless. Advocates are warning that thousands of vacant supportive housing units could make a significant dent in addressing this crisis if filled promptly.
"It's a matter of life and death," said Craig Hughes, a social worker with Legal Services NYC's Tenants Rights Coalition. "We urge the city to streamline its application process, rehab 'offline' units, and stop providers from denying applicants based on their level of need."
The city's data may not paint an accurate picture of the vacancy issue, however, as some apartments listed as empty actually refer to nonprofit providers struggling to find affordable spaces for tenants. The state is considering additional funding for these programs, but critics argue that more needs to be done to address the root causes of the crisis.
As the city grapples with this complex issue, one thing is clear: thousands of vacant supportive housing units are a ticking time bomb for those struggling on the streets.
. I mean, 87,000 people is just crazy, and it's not like they're going to magically disappear. The city needs to fill up those vacant apartments ASAP, but at the same time, we need to think about how we're gonna make sure everyone has a safe and comfy place to live. Affordable units are super scarce right now 
, so I get why people might be hesitant to share space with strangers.
We can't afford to wait around for things to get worse before we act.
.
thousands of empty apartments in nyc cant be explained by anyone 
they should fill 'em ASAP or make a plan to help ppl get back on their feet 
its not rocket science 
shelter population is through the roof and people are dyin out there 
what r we even doin out here? 
87k ppl livin on the streets or in public spaces, thats not a number, thats a human crisis 
needs more than just "housing first" 
it's time 2 get real about affordable units and help ppl find stable housing ASAP 
I'm so worried about all these ppl struggling 2 find a place 2 call home 
NYC is supposed 2 b a great city but this supportive housing crisis is gettin outta hand 
What's goin on w/ the state & dept. of social services? Can't we get more affordable units & a faster application process? 
. We gotta do better! 
The city's failure to fill these vacancies is a huge problem considering there are so many people in dire need. It's not just about filling apartments, though - it's about addressing the root causes of homelessness and providing supportive services that help people recover from their experiences on the streets.
It's time to prioritize people over politics and get these apartments filled ASAP.
As temperatures drop, people dying on the streets is a heartbreaking reality. We can't afford to wait any longer for solutions to this crisis. The city needs to take immediate action to address the vacancy issue and provide more support services for those struggling with homelessness. 
we cant just sit around while thousands of people are dyin on the streets 
. Thousands of apartments meant for people in need are just sitting empty? That's not right. I think it's more than that. The state's "housing first" initiative sounds like a nice idea, but what if it's just another way to push people into situations they're not ready for? Like, have you seen those movies where people move from the streets to a fancy new apartment and then... chaos ensues? 
I'm not saying it's that bad, but we need to be careful. What if the city is just trying to cover up the real problem? Like, what if there are too many units available because they're hiding some dark secret? 
They need support & resources, not just empty units collecting dust 
. We need more than just money & promises; we need action 
. And what about the "housing first" initiatives? Sounds good on paper, but is it really working? 
Let's get to the bottom of this crisis & make some real changes! 
3,200 apartments just sitting empty is crazy! 
. I mean, Councilmember Restler said there's no excuse for those high vacancy rates... and I'm like, totally agree