Drug overdoses and alcoholism were linked to nearly half of the deaths among New York City's homeless population, according to a report released by the Departments of Health and Social Services/Homeless Services. The analysis, covering the period from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, documented 634 homeless deaths, with 285 attributed to drug addiction, overdoses, or alcoholism.
These figures encompass deaths occurring in temporary shelters, on the streets, in subways, abandoned properties, and at acquaintances' homes. The report indicated that 58% of homeless individuals died in a hospital, while 22% of those unsheltered died outdoors. Of the total deaths, 52% were among unsheltered individuals and 48% were in homeless facilities.
Authors of the report noted that the numbers might be an undercount, citing difficulties in tracking individuals, particularly new migrants housed in temporary encampments by various agencies, for whom data was not fully integrated into the DOHMH matching process. This could mean some migrant deaths were not identified as homeless decedents.
The leading causes of death for the fiscal year 2025 were drug-related, accounting for 40% (251 deaths), followed by heart disease at 12% (78 deaths), accidents excluding drug overdose at 9% (60 deaths), alcohol misuse/dependence at 5% (34 deaths), and cancer at 4% (23 deaths).
Other reported causes of death included 18 suicides, 15 deaths from exposure to cold/hypothermia, 15 subway accident deaths, 14 auto accident deaths, and 11 homicides. Additionally, five deaths were attributed to toxic substances, four to heat exposure, and three to falls.
Despite the high number of deaths linked to substance abuse, the report did highlight a positive trend: the overall number of deaths among persons experiencing homelessness decreased by nearly 18% in fiscal year 2025, falling from 770 in the previous year to 634. Drug-related deaths specifically saw a significant drop of 28%, from 348 (45% of the total) in FY2024 to 251 (40%) in FY2025.
The report, which is legally mandated, serves to inform city policymakers and care workers about critical health concerns affecting this vulnerable population. The data from previous reports has informed the development of services and interventions, such as the expansion of the Opioid Overdose Prevention Program and naloxone administration training.
City agencies continue to provide emergency shelter, with a substantial portion of the homeless population residing in commercial hotels. As of August 6, the city's shelter system housed 83,197 individuals. The administration has renewed a $1.86 billion contract to continue utilizing commercial hotels for emergency shelter over the next three years, a strategy that accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent migrant crisis. The city's homeless shelter population had peaked at over 100,000 during the height of the migrant crisis in 2023.
Officials stated that individuals experiencing homelessness are inherently more vulnerable to health issues and mortality due to factors such as poverty, racism, and the constant stress of housing instability, which can lead to poorly controlled physical and mental health conditions compared to the general population.