Perilous cold for unsheltered homeless people

We tend not to see some problems unless we're face-to-face with them.

For those with a roof over their heads, homelessness can be one of those problems. If everyone we know and love has a house or apartment, it's difficult to focus on combating homelessness in your community.

Although largely concentrated in New York City, homelessness is not confined to the five boroughs. While 89% of the state's homeless population is in the city, Nassau and Suffolk counties combine for the second-highest total of homeless people in the state by region. And homelessness is dramatically rising on Long Island. Most troubling is that there are more homeless children now than just three years ago. According to a report from the New York State Comptroller's Office, there was a 20% increase in the number of homeless persons under 18 on Long Island between 2022 and 2024. The Long Island Coalition for the Homeless said in 2025 there were about 1,500 homeless children in Nassau and Suffolk counties, according to a Newsday news story.

The current cold snap poses significant peril for unsheltered homeless people. Northwell Health's Street Medicine team estimated that 30% of single homeless adults in Suffolk are unsheltered. In New York City, just 5% of the homeless population is unsheltered, and still at least 10 people died in the cold during this week's snowstorm. If you see a homeless person on Long Island in the cold, call the Long Island Coalition for the Homeless at 631-464-4314 ext. 118.

Homelessness doesn't just impact an individual physically and mentally and expose the holes in our public safety nets — it drains resources of municipalities. Homeless children have an even more difficult time learning, and there are often undiagnosed learning difficulties impeding growth in addition to typically spotlighted concerns like hunger, clothing and housing itself. And for children, the stigma in addition to the physical and mental toll can lead to a lifetime cycle of homelessness. Helping a family escape homelessness has many long-term benefits.

America has long idealized the frontier spirit of picking yourself up by your bootstraps but not everyone has that ability. Homelessness disproportionately impacts veterans, those with addictions and mental health problems, immigrants and people of color.

Charities never give up the fight to clothe and feed the needy, but they can't do it alone. State and local governments must continue to actively take the lead. That means more money for outreach, affordable housing and job training to provide lifetime solutions.

Giving someone a jacket, blanket and cot in a shelter helps this week, but true reform comes from giving them the skills and tools to provide for themself and their family.