All topics / Health and Human Services / Department of Homeless Services
Single adults who exited to permanent housing and returned to the DHS shelter services system within one year (%)
Coordinate and provide support services to help individuals and families experiencing homelessness exit shelter as quickly as possible. — Minimize re-entries into the shelter services system.
The share of single adults who return to shelter within a year of a permanent-housing exit has fallen fairly steadily since FY22, which DHS attributes to the city's expanded investment in subsidized rental assistance (including CityFHEPS) generating more stable, lasting placements. The small uptick in the FY26 year-to-date figure reflects a rise specifically in returns among people who left shelter without a subsidy, partly offset by continued low return rates for subsidized exits.
Researched July 15, 2026 — DHS, Fiscal 2025 Mayor's Management Report, DHS, Preliminary Mayor's Management Report, Fiscal 2026
* Year to date — this fiscal year isn't complete, so it's not compared against prior years in the target/trend status above.
View as table
| Fiscal year | Actual | Target |
|---|---|---|
| FY22 | 9.8% | 20% |
| FY23 | 9.5% | 20% |
| FY24 | 7.9% | 20% |
| FY25 | 6% | 20% |
| FY26 (YTD) | 6.4% | 20% |
Why this is tracked
New York City has cycled through several rental-subsidy programs aimed at moving shelter residents into permanent housing quickly, a strategy known as rapid rehousing, starting with Housing Stability Plus in the mid-2000s and later Advantage New York. When state funding for Advantage was cut in 2011, homelessness rose 38 percent within three years, prompting the City to rebuild and expand rehousing programs. Today, subsidies like CityFHEPS account for the large majority of subsidized shelter exits, and DHS reports that the vast majority of households who receive a subsidized placement do not return to shelter within a year.
City Programs Help More Than 100,000 New Yorkers Exit Shelter or Avoid Shelter Since 2014, Urban Institute: Homelessness Prevention, Intake, and Shelter for Single Adults and Families
Source: DHS CARES Database — via NYC Open Data: Mayor's Management Report, Agency Performance Indicators
Coverage shown: FY22–FY26, reported monthly.
Definition: The percent of those single adults, excluding clients in Safe Havens and Veterans short-term housing, placed into permanent housing in the prior fiscal year who returned to the DHS shelter services system within one year. To be counted as an exit to permanent housing, the client must remain out of shelter following placement for at least 30 days.