The bitter storm has brought an alarming surge in cold-related deaths across New York City. The numbers are staggering - more than 70 fatalities reported nationwide, with over a dozen here in the Big Apple. For those living on the streets, such as 60-year-old "Uncle," who was a regular visitor to a Coalition for the Homeless van, life is a constant struggle.
His story is a heart-wrenching reminder of the risks faced by homeless individuals during extreme weather conditions. Fearing attack and intimidation in shelters, Uncle refused assistance, opting instead for the streets. Volunteers at the organization couldn't convince him to come indoors, even when temperatures plummeted. His disappearance led volunteers to suspect the worst.
Experts point to a familiar culprit: lack of affordable housing. David Giffen, executive director of the Coalition, believes that the city's shortage of affordable options is driving people onto the streets. "The biggest problem is a lack of affordable housing," he said. "People who are sleeping out in subways and parks will get swept up and rounded up by police, only to be sent back out on the streets."
Giffen also highlights the inadequacy of the city's shelter system, particularly its "safe haven" shelters for those with mental illness or cognitive disabilities. He notes that these smaller shelters have looser rules, making it easier for individuals to navigate.
As temperatures continue to drop in New York City, concerns only grow. The city has already recorded an average of 30 cold-related deaths annually between 2018 and 2022, with a recent spike exceeding 10 fatalities. Mayor Zohran Mamdani acknowledged the issue, but it remains unclear how the city plans to address it.
The impact on individuals like Uncle is devastating. "It should never happen," said Juan De La Cruz, director of emergency relief services at the Coalition. "We live in a country that should be able to provide basic necessities to folks."
His story is a heart-wrenching reminder of the risks faced by homeless individuals during extreme weather conditions. Fearing attack and intimidation in shelters, Uncle refused assistance, opting instead for the streets. Volunteers at the organization couldn't convince him to come indoors, even when temperatures plummeted. His disappearance led volunteers to suspect the worst.
Experts point to a familiar culprit: lack of affordable housing. David Giffen, executive director of the Coalition, believes that the city's shortage of affordable options is driving people onto the streets. "The biggest problem is a lack of affordable housing," he said. "People who are sleeping out in subways and parks will get swept up and rounded up by police, only to be sent back out on the streets."
Giffen also highlights the inadequacy of the city's shelter system, particularly its "safe haven" shelters for those with mental illness or cognitive disabilities. He notes that these smaller shelters have looser rules, making it easier for individuals to navigate.
As temperatures continue to drop in New York City, concerns only grow. The city has already recorded an average of 30 cold-related deaths annually between 2018 and 2022, with a recent spike exceeding 10 fatalities. Mayor Zohran Mamdani acknowledged the issue, but it remains unclear how the city plans to address it.
The impact on individuals like Uncle is devastating. "It should never happen," said Juan De La Cruz, director of emergency relief services at the Coalition. "We live in a country that should be able to provide basic necessities to folks."
, struggling to survive on the streets. It's heartbreaking to think that he was too scared to ask for help because of shelters not being safe for him 
. The lack of affordable housing is a big issue here - I mean, who can afford a place to live in NYC? 
It's crazy that people are having to choose between warmth and safety over a roof over their heads 
.
. It's not just about uncle - it's about all the others who are struggling too 
. We should be doing everything in our power to help, rather than just talking about the problem 
.
. Its all about the affordable housing, fam 
. And what's with the police sweeping up homeless folks and sending them back out? That's just cruel 
. We gotta do better than this, NYC! 
ugh, it's crazy how some ppl can just give up on life because they don't have a place to go 
. those safe haven shelters r supposed 2 be safe spaces 4 ppl with mental illness, not just another reason 2 feel hopeless 
. we gotta do better 4 our most vulnerable citizens 
.
I mean, we're a city that's supposed to be all about progress and stuff. But seriously, it seems like no one is willing or able to make real change happen when it comes to affordable housing 
and it's all about affordable housing 
like how can you plan for these things? NYC is like a cold lab where they play around with human lives and see who gets left behind 
. And what about all those people living on the streets, can't even go to a shelter without being rounded up 
. We need to do better, for real 
.
and lack of affordable housing 
and others like him, who don't wanna go to shelters because they're scared 
. We need more affordable options 
and better shelter systems 
ASAP 
! It's crazy that people are losing their lives due to the weather 
.
I mean, can you even imagine? Anyway, back to NYC - it's crazy how some shelters are like, super relaxed with rules, but that just leads to more problems. Like, what if someone has a panic attack or something and needs help, but they don't know who to turn to? 
The city really needs to work on making those safe haven shelters better equipped to handle situations like that...
This cold snap just highlights how harsh life can be for people living on the streets. I mean, 70+ deaths is crazy! 
It's a vicious cycle. We need to do better, NYC! 
Just saying. And yeah, no kidding about affordable housing being a major issue. It's not like we should've seen this coming with all the gentrification and price hikes going on around here. 
.
can't we just make affordable housing a priority for once? 
also, what kind of system are we supposed to rely on when our own shelters can't keep us safe? 
. shelter system r also a mess 
. it feels like the city's just shuffling the problem 
instead of solving it 
, we need real action 
. mayor mamdani needs to get his act together 
️. this is a crisis 
. Anyway, back to the homeless situation in NYC. I mean, it's crazy that even in a city as big and wealthy as New York, people still can't afford a place to call their own. It's like, what even is the point of having all that money if you don't have a roof over your head?