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NYC shelters see record high number of homeless children in 2014

New York City has an average of 60,600 homeless people who stay at shelters each night and most of them come from families with children under 18, shows a report.

Forty-two thousand children stayed at least one night on average at New York City homeless shelters last year, including 1 in 17 of New York’s black kids, showed a new report.

Overall, 116,000 people were forced into shelters during the year including one in 43 city children, according to the report that highlights a dire housing crisis affecting kids.

The city has an average of 60,600 homeless people, including more than 25,400 children, who stay at shelters each night and most of these people come from families with children under 18, the Coalition for the Homeless said in an annual report on Thursday.

In addition, there has been a dramatic rise in families using shelters after being evicted in neighborhoods which are being gentrified, according to the report.

African-Americans and Latino households have been affected the most by rocketing costs and less housing assistance, the report added.

It showed that the number of African-American families and the number of families with children in shelters have increased by 41% and 27% respectively.

“It’s a shocking finding — the crushing toll homelessness is taking on children,” said Mary Brosnahan, president of the coalition. “I don’t think it’s hyperbole to say this is the future of the city at stake.”

Also, Coalition spokesman Patrick Markee, who wrote the report, said "Homelessness has a devastating impact on children," adding "It takes a real toll on parents as well."

Homeless children suffer from other problems, Markee said, noting some have difficulty in school while the majority of them are being raised by single mothers who were themselves victims of domestic violence and have problems holding down jobs.

Thirty-year-old Jessica Pendergrass with her 12-year-old daughter, Kayla Wilson, have been living in a Queens shelter for two months since Pendergrass lost her job.

“I was bawling, crying my eyes out, because I literally have nowhere to go,” said Pendergrass. “I’m just floating in the breeze because I really don’t know what I’m going to do. I can’t make rent in New York City,” she added.

The overall population staying at nightly shelters was 60,670 in January, 2014  which showed an increase of 13% compared to 2013.

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