New York, NY —

The Bloomberg administration is still struggling to reduce the number of poor families who need shelter. After four years of trying to reform the system and bring down the numbers, there's only been a 2 percent drop. WNYC's Cindy Rodriguez reports.

REPORTER: A progress report issued by the Department of Homeless Services acknowledges that numbers reached record levels this summer. The report also says that while families are showing up more, there are thousands who remain in shelter too long. The city says it has a responsibility to find families housing subsidies but Agency Commissioner Rob Hess says families need to be held accountable, too.

HESS: You have the responsibility too to be out actively looking for an apartment, finding an apartment and moving into that apartment and so it's a two-way street, it's been a one-way street for too long.

REPORTER: Hess says families who won't cooperate can lose their right to shelter, though he says he doesn't see it getting to that point.

Legal Aid Attorney Steve Banks says sometimes families can't cooperate because of a mental illness, or because of childcare problems and advocates will be watching closely. For WNYC, I'm Cindy Rodriguez.