NYC's Single Adult Shelter Census Reaches Record High

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak there are more single adults in the city’s homeless shelter system than ever before.

On Thursday, nearly 17,700 single men and women slept in shelters, according to the Coalition for the Homeless.

“There may be more people actually coming into the shelter system … either because of economic conditions or because they become infected and can't return to overcrowded housing,” said Giselle Routhier, the group’s policy director.

Single adults usually live in congregate shelters where 8 to 12 people on average share a room. Advocates say the increase could put even more people at risk of contracting coronavirus. The city says it's moving a few thousand people from shelters to hotel rooms.