NEW YORK, Nov. 18 (Xinhua) -- At least 146,000 public school students in New York City, about one in eight, did not have permanent housing at some point during the past school year, a record number and a 23 percent increase from the year before, according to figures released by Advocates for Children of New York on Monday.
"Almost all of those students were living either in shelters across the city or 'doubled up' temporarily with friends or family, according to the group, which focuses on supporting children from low-income families," reported The New York Times about the data, which was gathered by the New York State Education Department.
In recent years, the city's shelter system has been strained by an influx of migrants who arrived after crossing the southern border. Over 210,000 migrants have come to the city since 2022. Most were from Latin America, and others came from Africa and Asia, according to the report.
The number of homeless students in New York City, the most populous city in the United States, has topped 100,000 for nine straight years, according to state Education Department data. The figure has remained high amid a continuing housing crisis, with few apartments available and affordable options hard to find, noted the report. ■