Reports
Data, insights, and analysis shaping homelessness policy and practice in New Jersey.
Reports and Fact Sheets
Unsheltered homelessness is a growing crisis in New Jersey, leaving thousands of people living in cars, encampments, streets, and other places not meant for human habitation. According to HMIS data, unsheltered homelessness in New Jersey increased 61% from 2024 to 2025, and by July 2026, 60% of people experiencing homelessness statewide were living unsheltered.
No Place to Go examines the rise of unsheltered homelessness in New Jersey, the strain on the state’s shelter system, and the barriers that can leave people without a safe place to stay. Through state and national data and the stories of New Jerseyans living unsheltered, it challenges common assumptions about homelessness and highlights the need for housing, shelter, and supportive solutions that help people regain stability.
Senior homelessness is rising rapidly across the United States—and New Jersey is already seeing the impact. Nationally, older adults are the fastest-growing segment of the homeless population, with the number of adults 65+ experiencing homelessness projected to triple by 2030 (National Alliance to End Homelessness). According to New Jersey Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) data in 2026, 1 in 3 unhoused New Jerseyans is age 55 or older, and 70% of unhoused adults 55+ are living unsheltered.
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No Place to Grow Old: New Jersey’s Growing Crisis of Senior Homelessness brings together national and state data to examine the growing number of older adults experiencing homelessness, the widening gap between fixed incomes and housing costs, and the unique dangers older adults face when living unsheltered.
Child homelessness is a growing and often hidden crisis in New Jersey. Nationally, people are more likely to experience homelessness during infancy than at any other age according to a study from Vanderbilt University. In New Jersey, children account for nearly 1 in 5 people experiencing homelessness, while HMIS data show that family homelessness increased 38% from 2020 to 2025.
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No Place to Grow Up explores the realities of child and family homelessness in New Jersey, including the gaps that can leave infants, toddlers, and children living doubled up or in temporary accommodations out of traditional homelessness counts. It also examines how housing instability can affect children’s health, education, development, and future opportunities.
Extreme heat can be deadly for people experiencing homelessness. NJCEH’s Code Red Blueprint outlines both immediate and long-term actions New Jersey can take to protect people during dangerous heat events, from expanding emergency shelter and street outreach to building a coordinated statewide response that ensures communities are prepared before the next heat emergency.
REPORT: Addressing Homelessness: A Comparative Analysis of State Policies, Funding, and Responses to Federal Changes
In partnership with the NJ Coalition to End Homelessness, graduate students from Rutgers University's Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy conducted a comprehensive analysis of how New Jersey and peer states invest in homeless services. The report found that New Jersey trails many comparable states in state funding dedicated to addressing homelessness, despite rising demand.
NJCEH's 2025 State of Emergency Shelter Survey examines the experiences of 56 shelters across New Jersey and highlights the growing pressures facing the state's homelessness response system. The report identifies critical challenges related to behavioral health, workforce shortages, funding stability, and affordable housing, while offering recommendations to strengthen shelter services and support long-term solutions to homelessness.
REPORT: Invest Now or Pay Later: Consequences of Ignoring the Mental Health Needs of New Jersey Children in Shelter
Children experiencing homelessness face higher rates of trauma and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), yet too many are unable to access the mental health care they need. In a report commissioned by NJCEH and developed by the Institute for Children, Poverty, and Homelessness, families and shelter staff identified significant barriers to care, including transportation challenges, long wait times, and services that fail to account for the realities of homelessness. The report found that New Jersey's current children's mental health system does not adequately meet the needs of children living in shelters and offers several recommendations to improve access to care and better support children and families experiencing housing instability.
Can individuals experiencing homelessness register to vote? Yes, people experiencing homelessness can register to vote in New Jersey. If they meet the basic voting eligibility requirements, they can register.
What address should unhoused voters use when registering? Unhoused voters can use a place where they can be contacted or stay often like a shelter, park, or street corner. It’s best to use an address where they can reliably receive mail, such as a shelter or other social service agency. Some county elections offices allow unhoused voters to use their address as a voter registration address. This differs by location so check with your local election offices before registering.
Can individuals experiencing homelessness register to vote? Yes, people experiencing homelessness can register to vote in New Jersey. If they meet the basic voting eligibility requirements, they can register.
What address should unhoused voters use when registering? Unhoused voters can use a place where they can be contacted or stay often like a shelter, park, or street corner. It’s best to use an address where they can reliably receive mail, such as a shelter or other social service agency. Some county elections offices allow unhoused voters to use their address as a voter registration address. This differs by location so check with your local election offices before registering.