Report: Homelessness in N.M. spiked 48% in 2023

Homelessness in New Mexico increased by about 48% in 2023 over the year before, and an increasing number of low-income renters are on the cusp of ending up without a roof over their heads amid housing pressures, according to a report Tuesday to the Legislative Finance Committee.

The jump in the state’s homeless population is driven in large part by an increase in the “unsheltered count,” which includes people sleeping in cars, parks, abandoned buildings or other places not ordinarily used for rest.

“The good news is that the state has made significant investments over the past two years, which are beginning to bear fruit,” Kathleen Gygi, an LFC program evaluator, told lawmakers.