Testimony on Supporting Domestic Violence Survivors in the NYC Shelter System for the General Welfare and Women and Gender Equity Committees

Domestic violence remains a leading cause of homelessness for families with children in New York City, surpassing evictions and overcrowding. In Fiscal Year 2023, 20.3% of families with children entering Department of Homeless Services (DHS) shelters cited domestic violence as the primary cause of their homelessness, compared to 11.1% who entered due to evictions and 11.2% who entered due to overcrowding. More than 1 in 5 families with children in the DHS system—2,911 families—identified domestic violence as the reason for their homelessness.