Mayor Adams Celebrates Record Progress in Housing the Formerly Homeless

Mayor Eric Adams announced a record-breaking achievement in placing formerly homeless New Yorkers into permanent housing on Thursday, September 19th. In Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), over 18,500 households transitioned from shelters to stable homes — a 24% increase from the previous year. This success was largely driven by the City Fighting Homelessness and Eviction Prevention Supplement (CityFHEPS) vouchers, which played a critical role in addressing the housing crisis in New York City.

Mayor Adams emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “A home is more than just a place to rest at the end of the day — it’s a pathway towards turning the American Dream into a reality. Today’s announcement is a sign that New Yorkers most in need are receiving the full support of our city government to move from the streets and shelters to stability; however, our work is far from done.”

Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Anne Williams-Isom echoed Adams’ sentiments, highlighting the significance of helping people find a stable environment. “Every New Yorker deserves a permanent home,” she said. “In FY24 alone, we’ve helped over 18,500 households move from shelter into permanent housing. That means more adults and young people have stable places to root their lives.”

Molly Park, the Commissioner of the Department of Social Services (DSS), praised the combined efforts of city agencies and nonprofits, stating, “We are tremendously proud of our incredible teams. They have helped realize our focused efforts to connect a record number of New Yorkers in shelter to permanent homes, despite a historic low in the city’s housing vacancy rate.”

The city’s affordable housing services have been vital in creating nearly 900 deeply affordable homes. Through partnerships with nonprofits, more than 243 units have already been opened, and another 600 are in the pipeline. These units provide long-term affordability and strong tenant protections for those transitioning out of shelters.

As the city continues to face housing shortages, these efforts reflect the administration’s commitment to combating homelessness and ensuring housing stability for all New Yorkers.