Homelessness in Western New York Has Hit a Record High, and the System Can’t Keep Up

The 2026 Point-in-Time Count Reveals a 24% Surge, with Shelters Stretched Beyond Capacity and Families Bearing the Brunt

According to this year’s Point-in-Time (PIT) count, homelessness in Western New York has risen 24% since last year.

“Homelessness in Western New York is growing, and what we are seeing reflects a broader affordability and housing crisis happening across the country,” Kexin Ma, executive director of The Homeless Alliance of Western New York, told Invisible People. “Many people still picture homelessness as an issue limited to large cities, but communities of every size are struggling with rising housing costs and a lack of affordable housing options.”

This year’s count is the highest it’s been since tracking began in 2005 for Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Genesee, and Wyoming counties. While the count shows an increase from 1,768 in 2025 to 2,188 in 2026, experts say the real number is actually much higher. Over the course of the year, more than 7,000 people experienced homelessness in Western New York, much higher than the one-night snapshot that the Point-in-Time count was able to capture.

What’s most crucial to understand is that providers cannot meet this growing need because the crisis surpasses the help available.

“People are remaining homeless longer because there are not enough affordable units available for them to move into. Emergency shelters, outreach teams, and housing providers across the region are working tirelessly, but the demand continues to outpace available resources and housing inventory,” Ma said.

Extended homelessness also means people and families are remaining in temporary shelters for much longer. While in 2024 the average stay was 71 days, in 2025 it was 92 days. Experts point out that this reflects the lack of affordable housing in the region. In addition to rising rents and median housing costs, stagnant wages, job losses, and evictions also contribute to extended shelter stays.

Western New York Can Only House 1 in 5 Homeless People

“This region receives more than $23 million in federal homelessness funding each year, much of which is targeted toward serving people experiencing chronic homelessness and individuals with serious mental illness or other disabling conditions,” Ma said.

Even with these investments, Ma said the system only has the capacity to serve 1-in-5 people who need help.

“Ongoing federal funding uncertainty and changing priorities around homelessness and housing interventions also make it difficult for homeless service providers to plan for the long term and sustain progress,” said Ma.

Prior to the pandemic years, providers and community members made real progress reducing homelessness in Western New York, as noted by The Homeless Alliance of Western New York.

However, rising housing costs have reversed this trend. Homelessness has far exceeded those pre-pandemic levels. And it’s more than rising housing costs, said Daniella Gallego, Continuum of Care Supervisor of The Homeless Alliance. “It’s childcare, healthcare, transportation, everything is getting more expensive.”

Misconceptions About People Experiencing Homelessness

Misconceptions about homelessness are widespread, and stereotypes of homeless people are similar in most communities.

“One of the biggest misconceptions about people experiencing homelessness is the belief that they are lazy, choose to be homeless, or are primarily struggling with substance use disorders,” Ma said. “The reality is far more complex and deeply rooted in systemic challenges, trauma, housing instability, poverty, and gaps in support services.”

According to data Ma shared from January 2026’s PIT count, less than 6% of individuals reported a substance abuse disorder.

“Even when combined with those reporting a mental health disorder, that accounts for only a little over 19 percent of the homeless population identified in Western New York,” Ma said.

So, who is homeless in Western New York?

Like many areas, the majority of homeless people are families with children, older adults, survivors of domestic violence, and individuals who have experienced a job loss, medical crisis, or eviction. The data challenges these stereotypes time and time again.

In Western New York, 49% of those experiencing homelessness are families, and 31% are children under the age of 18.

“It’s your neighbor. It’s your community member,” said Haley D’Agostino, Aging Program Coordinator for The Homeless Alliance.

This Isn’t Just a City Issue

While homelessness is often associated with large metropolitan cities, smaller cities, towns, and rural areas are seeing an increase in homelessness as well. Issues such as limited access to transportation, housing, and other services make exiting homelessness more challenging outside of large urban centers.

Even in Western New York, it’s not just larger cities like Buffalo and Niagara Falls that are seeing this increase in homelessness.

“While urban areas see the largest numbers, homelessness is also impacting suburban and rural communities throughout the region, including every county within our Continuum of Care,” Ma said.

“Rural communities often face different challenges than urban areas, including the absence of emergency shelters, fewer affordable housing options, reduced transportation access, and fewer available support services,” Ma continued. “Homelessness in rural areas can also be less visible, which sometimes leads people to underestimate the level of need in these communities.”

“Addressing homelessness will require continued investment in affordable housing, supportive services, prevention efforts, and strong community-wide coordination,” Ma concluded.