How the N.Y.C. Mayoral Candidates Plan to Tackle Homelessness NYT | Top Stories By: Anna Kodé 23 September 2025 at 15:00 The candidates’ views on addressing homelessness in New York City differ vastly, with calls to expand mental health services, overhaul the shelter system and change policing. © Spencer Platt/Getty ImagesMore than 100,000 people are staying in homeless shelters in New York City, according to the latest figures from the Coalition for the Homeless.