Migrant surge makes U.S. housing crisis worse

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A surge in new migrants is colliding with the U.S.’ housing crisis, and even putting a minor dent in the shelter problem is costing state and local governments millions.

Cities simply don’t have enough affordable homes, enough shelters or enough money to help everyone who needs it, straining scarce resources and leaving thousands of people out on the street.

Soaring housing costs and the end of some pandemic-era safety nets have fueled an affordable housing shortage, causing homelessness to rise in many cities.

Homelessness in the U.S. had a record spike from 2022 to 2023, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis.

Now, state and local officials are also scrambling to house thousands of migrants arriving from the border.
What they’re saying: “We need more units. We need to confront the broader housing crisis,” New York City Comptroller Brad Lander tells Axios in an interview.

“If we can help folks that have been in shelter a long time get housing subsidies, and if we can help asylum seekers get work authorizations … they won’t be competing for the same units,” he adds.

New York City is legally required to provide shelter to anyone who requests it. The city was caring for nearly 60,000 migrants and asylum seekers at the beginning of September, according to the comptroller’s office.

Migrants accounted for more than half of the city’s shelter population, according to a report released this month.

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