N.J. homeless population up 24%, survey says. See county-by-county numbers.

New Jersey’s homeless population grew to over 12,000 this year, with children making up more than one-fifth of the total, according to a newly-released survey.
NJCounts — a one day “point-in-time tally” conducted on Jan. 23 — found 12,680 people identified as homeless across New Jersey that day, according to Monarch Housing Associates, the nonprofit group that organizes the annual survey.
That is a nearly 24% increase in the statewide homeless population compared to last year, the new report said. (See the county-by-county breakdown of the homeless count below.)
Of the total homeless population, 2,787 were children under 18, according to the survey.
Over the past three years, the state’s homeless population has increased. The NJCounts survey found 10,267 people were experiencing homelessness in 2023, a 17% increase compared to 2022.
The annual one-day count may not include every homeless person in the state, but it is designed to provide a snapshot, the nonprofit group said. The data was gathered through household surveys and information from shelters.
People included in the count were asked what factors contributed to their homelessness. Similar to last year, the top three reasons given were: being asked to leave a shared residence; loss or reduction of job income; and eviction or risk of eviction.
Housing advocates have been sounding the alarm about the need for more affordable housing and stronger tenant protections as homelessness continues to rise.
“The data shows, that while the homeless numbers continue to rise, we also have a decrease in vacancy rates for rentals across the state,” Kasey Vienckowski, senior associate at Monarch Housing Associates, said in a statement.
New Jersey is in the middle of a housing crisis, the organization said. There are only about 31 affordable apartments for every 100 extremely low income renters in the state, according to an analysis by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, another advocacy group.
Rent has also increased, with 14 New Jersey counties experiencing spikes between 20% to 40% since the start of the pandemic, according to data published by Zillow last year.
The state’s Department of Community Affairs called the annual NJCounts numbers “sobering” and stressed the importance of continuing initiatives and partnerships.
“By focusing on prevention and addressing the root causes of housing instability, we can work to stem the tide of homelessness before it begins and provide more stable futures for vulnerable New Jerseyans,” Mike Callahan, director of the department’s Office of Homelessness Prevention, said in a statement.
New Jersey municipalities are expected to add or rehabilitate a total of 146,000 units of affordable housing by 2035, according to the state’s new requirements.
Jersey City and Newark, which have some of the highest chronic homelessness rates in the state, said last year they were working to exceed expansion goals and add 5,000 more affordable housing units through a federal program.
About 16% of this year’s homeless population said they were chronically homeless. That means they have been homeless for at least a year, or were without housing several times in the past three years for a total of at least a year, the report said.
The number of unsheltered people rose by 23% this year, with over 1,700 individuals living in public or private places not meant for sleeping, such as cars, parks, bus or train stations or abandoned buildings.
Similar to national trends, the survey showed Black people in New Jersey experience homelessness at disproportionately higher rates.
Other populations identified in the survey included: people who reported having one or more disabilities (46% of those who were homeless); victims of domestic violence (12%); and veterans (5%).
Out of New Jersey’s 21 counties, Passaic County saw the biggest increase in homelessness numbers, rising by 74% compared to last year. Essex County had 2,451 homeless individuals, the highest number in the state.
Sussex, Bergen, Middlesex and Atlantic were the only counties where the homeless population decreased in this year’s count.
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Nyah Marshall may be reached at [email protected].