Jade Shenker, a cast member on the Netflix reality series "Owning Manhattan," has drawn widespread criticism for comments she made about the city's homeless population during a street interview. The remarks, captured in a viral TikTok video, were widely perceived as insensitive and out of touch.

During an interview for an organization called Girls Who Sublet, Shenker was asked about the minimum income required to live comfortably in New York City. Her response, "I feel like the homeless people on the street are pretty comfortable, too, so you don't really have to make anything," ignited a firestorm on social media.

Users on TikTok and other platforms decried the statement as "horrifying," "disgusting," and "scary." Many shared personal experiences of homelessness, highlighting the extreme discomfort and hardship associated with living without stable housing. One user wrote, "As someone that’s actually been homeless, no it’s not comfortable. I had a car and it was still horrible. I cannot imagine how uncomfortable it would be to have to carry everything you own with you at all times."

Shenker, 29, who gained reality TV fame in 2024 on the show chronicling real estate agents at Ryan Serhant's firm, later issued an apology via her Instagram Stories. She stated that she was "taking responsibility" for her words and acknowledged that her comment was "insensitive" and "dismissive of an issue that affects thousands of people every day."

"Regardless of my intention, my words came across as dismissive of an issue that affects thousands of people every day, and for that, I'm genuinely sorry," Shenker wrote. "This experience has reminded me that words matter, and that intent doesn't erase impact. I'm not asking anyone to excuse what I said. I'm taking responsibility for it, I'm learning from it, and I'll do better moving forward."

Shenker, who reportedly has a net worth of $8 million, told The New York Post in June 2024 that she works "85 to 90 hours per week" in her real estate career, aiming for a $1 billion-dollar sale with a commission of $5 to $10 million.