Why New York City's homeless rates skyrocketed for single adults but dropped for families during the pandemic

A new report shows the rate of homeless, single adults in New York City reached record levels during the pandemic, while the number of homeless families declined. Experts say the trend is tied to short-term pandemic relief, like eviction moratoriums, but is likely not sustainable. 

An all-time high of 20,822 single adults slept in New York City shelters each night in February, according to an annual report released Wednesday by the nonprofit Coalition for the Homeless. Meanwhile, the data shows the number of homeless families sleeping in city shelters dropped by nearly 2,500 between February 2020 and February 2021. That decline is mostly due to the state's eviction moratorium, according to Giselle Roither, a policy director for the organization.