New York's homeless population up by nearly 40%

New York, July 7 (IANS) New York city's homeless population has increased by nearly 40 per cent in 2017, according to a new survey.

The number of people living in the streets of the America's financial capital spiked by 39 per cent to 3,892 this year, the highest number recorded since 2005, said the annual survey issued by the city's Department of Homeless Services.

The rise comes despite a massive effort by Mayor Bill de Blasio to convince the homeless to enter shelters, reports Xinhua news agency.

The survey attributed the spike to milder temperatures and incomes that cannot keep up with high rents in the city. 

It noted that the median rent in New York City increased about 18 per cent from 2005 to 2015.