The Department of Homeless Services has an aggressive city-wide street outreach operation, with teams out 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, engaging street homeless individuals and encouraging them to move from the street to housing. Since we have seen the street population is less likely to accept traditional shelter, outreach teams offer low-threshold housing options that are smaller and more private with fewer rules and regulations, such as Safe Havens and stabilization beds, for the chronically homeless.
Between 2011 and 2012, the City increased the number of chronically homeless individuals placed into housing by 28 percent. Recently, the City’s outreach teams assisted their 3,700th chronically homeless individual in moving off the street, and a 26 percent decline in the number of unsheltered individuals Citywide has been seen since 2005. With a dedicated provider for each borough— Manhattan Outreach Consortium, led by Goddard Riverside in Manhattan; Common Ground in Brooklyn and Queens; BronxWorks in the Bronx; and Project Hospitality on Staten Island—Homeless Services ensures that a system created just for street homeless persons is looking out for them at all times.
In a City with a population of more than 8 million, the ratio of street homeless in New York is 1 to 2,506. Cities from around the globe come to New York City for advice on approaching street homelessness, from as close as Boston to as far away as Amsterdam. With street outreach workers available every day at every hour, homeless individuals can be assured that someone is looking out for them at all times, in a separate system created just for them.
During times of harsh winter weather conditions, or extremely hot summer days, Homeless Services implements its Code Blue and Code Red procedures respectively, which serve as an added measure to keeping the individuals on New York’s streets safe. When these advisories are in effect, the Department increases efforts to help individuals move inside and assess them frequently for signs that they are medically at-risk.
Street outreach teams’ strongest partner remains the everyday New Yorker. By calling 311 when an individual on the street appears to be in need of shelter or assistance, especially during winter months, any New Yorker can dispatch a street outreach team to that person and help them move indoors. These critical calls can change, or even save, a life.
Results from HOPE
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Results, 2013 (in PDF)
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Results, 2012 (in PDF)
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Results, 2011 (in PDF)
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Results, 2010 (in PDF)
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Results, 2009 (in PDF)
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Results, 2008 (in PDF)
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Results, 2007 (in PDF)
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Results, 2006 (in PDF)
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Results, 2005 (in PDF)
Homeless Outreach Population Estimate Results, 2004 (in PDF)
Homeless Outreach Population Survey Results, 2003 (in PDF)
