Service Providers – Page 9

Empty Seats: The Epidemic of Absenteeism Among Homeless Elementary Students

School absences are pervasive across New York City. Almost one in five New York City public school elementary students (19%) were chronically absent in SY 2013-14, missing 20 days or more of school. Worse, homeless elementary students were chronically absent at roughly twice the rate of elementary students overall. This report examines the disparities in absenteeism and its impact on educational achievement, comparing homeless students and their housed peers, regardless of family income level.…

The Fall 2015 issue explores the technology gap between low-income students and their peers in “The Digital Divide;” describes the home visiting model of support for expectant and new parents in “Changing Lives with a Knock on the Door;” and shares how City of Refuge, a nonprofit in Atlanta, Georgia, is addressing the booming suburban poverty rate with innovation that includes culinary and automotive social enterprises in “Middle Class by Middle Age.”…

In a single, comprehensive resource, the American Almanac of Family Homelessness identifies and analyzes key issues surrounding homelessness among families with children, examines state strategies, and illustrates the impact of public policies on family homelessness across the country.…

Publisher’s Note Dear Reader, Summer is the season that conjures up images of fun in the sun, vacations, and a break from school. But for homeless families—parents, young children, and college-age youth—this season can offer even more obstacles to overcome when school doors are closed and so are easy access to free meals, child care,…

Homelessness is now so pervasive in New York City that it directly affects roughly one out of every 13 public school children. Over 83,000 students enrolled in city public schools in school year (SY) 2013–14 were identified as homeless. More than half of those 83,000 homeless students are living doubled up in someone else’s apartment due to loss of housing or economic hardship. This brief examines the growth in doubled-up students across the boroughs between SY 2010–11 and SY 2012–13 and the significance it has for city policies.…

The return of a policy to give some homeless families priority placement in New York City public housing has been hailed as a first step to ending family homelessness. With close to one in six families entering shelter from public housing, what impact will this policy actually have? There has been little discussion about the role of public housing as a feeder into the family shelter system. This policy brief examines the complex relationship between city policies and families entering shelter from public housing. …

Our Spring 2015 issue emphasizes the importance of programs and services that go beyond housing to support children and families experiencing poverty and homelessness. We look programs that offer at yoga, culinary and janitorial training programs, essential budget and life-skills training, and more for at-risk and homeless populations.

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As New York City becomes increasingly unaffordable and affordable housing becomes scarcer, working class communities are showing signs of vulnerability: growth in poverty, a decline in educational attainment, and overcrowding in rental units. This community profile examines the growing instability in one such community—Sunset Park, Brooklyn—which was the most overcrowded neighborhood and fourth most rent-burdened community in New York City in 2012, yet has seen few families turning to the shelter system.…

With the latest statistics showing that there are now nearly 1.3 million homeless students in the United States, focusing on education is more important than ever. In our Fall 2014 issue, we are excited to have education, for both children and adults, serve as the single unifying theme.…

Without safe and reliable care for their children, homeless parents cannot search for or sustain employment or access the job training, education, and other services essential to resolving their homelessness. Federal and state subsidized child care, designed to support low-income families’ self-sufficiency, should be a resource for these families.…

This brief presents a case study of Philadelphia’s experience with rapidly rehousing its homeless population between 2010 and 2012. It highlights the role of data collection and analysis in effectively using rapid-rehousing programs as part of a larger, comprehensive homeless-services effort.…

ICPH is dedicated to alleviating family poverty and homelessness through a multi-pronged approach, involving employment, education, and housing. We are excited about this issue of UNCENSORED, which includes articles with compelling ideas on all three fronts.…

Audiences: Service Providers

Empty Seats: The Epidemic of Absenteeism Among Homeless Elementary Students

Fall 2015, Vol 6.3

American Almanac of Family Homelessness 2015

Summer 2015, Vol 6.2

The Invisible Majority: Doubled-Up Students in New York City Public Schools

When a Solution Is Also Part of the Problem: The Complex Relationship between Public Housing and Family Homelessness

Spring 2015, Vol 6.1

Past the Tipping Point? Emerging Signs of Community Vulnerability in Sunset Park

Fall 2014, Vol. 5.3

Meeting the Child Care Needs of Homeless Families: How Do States Stack Up?

Hitting the Target: A Case Study of Rapid Rehousing in Philadelphia

Summer 2014, Vol. 5.2

Latest Publications

Federal SNAP Changes Threaten Stability for NYC Families in Shelter

Common Threads Between NYC’s Rental Subsidy Programs Over 20 Years and the Impact on Homeless Families

THE HIDDEN HOMELESS: Fact Sheet Part II: What All New Yorkers Should Know About Family Homelessness, September 26, 2025 Edition