A homeless spike in city

AMERICA’S HOMELESS population topped 550,000 this year, with the highest numbers in New York City and Los Angeles, federal officials announced Wednesday.

The nationwide numbers rose only slightly, while New York City saw a 4% spike and L.A. jumped by 26%, Housing Secretary Ben Carson said while unveiling results of the annual point-in-time count made last winter.

“The commonality in these places is rapidly rising rents and not rapidly rising income,” he said of the bigger cities.

On nights in January and February, a volunteer army took to the streets to help the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development capture a snapshot of the homeless living in shelters and on the streets.

The nationwide homeless census rose by only 0.7% from last year to 553,742, the first time the numbers have increased in seven years. And the rise was attributed exclusively to a jump in the unsheltered population, which rose by 9.4% to 192,000.

The Feb. 6 count in New York City tallied a homeless count of 76,501. Most counted that night were in shelters, but still about 5%, or nearly 4,000, were living on the streets.

Los Angeles had a lower overall number of 55,188, but most of the homeless there — 75% — were on the streets.

Mayor de Blasio has struggled with a rising homeless population since arriving at City Hall, when the shelter census stood at 53,000. The city shelter system now averages about 60,000 on most nights. The HUD count included another 12,000 staying in non-city-run shelters and transitional housing.

“New York City is one of the most expensive cities in the nation and the point-in-time numbers reflect that challenge,” said Lynne Patton, the head of HUD’s Region II, which oversees New York and New Jersey.

Homeless men and women are often huddled in corners throughout Penn Station.

On Wednesday, Caly Ray, 30, who’s been living in the streets for several months since arriving with his wife from Utah, hunkered down on a subway grate near Penn, explaining that he chooses the street because he’s heard the shelters are dangerous.

“From day one, I’ve heard they’re no good. All your stuff gets stolen all the time,” he said, suggesting the city provide muchneeded basic services for people like him.

“Provide a place where we can go shower, at least,” he said.