Posted on November 12, 2015 by Andrew Hevesi and Shelly Nortz in New York Daily News New York Daily News, By Andrew Hevesi and Shelly Nortz As most of us know by now, homelessness in New York City is at near-record levels. Each night, more than 59,000 New Yorkers, including 24,000 children, bed down in homeless shelters. While most homeless families and some homeless individuals simply need an affordable place to call home, the most costly subset of homeless New Yorkers are people coping with mental illness, substance abuse and chronic illnesses that, left unaddressed, will keep them cycling in and out of shelters, hospital beds and institutions. As costly to taxpayers as these temporary quarters are, a large proportion of people in them quickly wind back up on the street, often without food, medicine or adequate clothing. We can no longer ignore the reality that our current system fosters a brutal cycle that is inhumane, ineffective and far too expensive for taxpayers.
