NORWICH – New reports issued by federal and state agencies suggest homelessness is on the rise in the Chenango County region despite a considerable drop in numbers across New York State.

An analysis from the New York State Comptroller’s Office shows homelessness in Chenango, Broome, Otsego, Delaware, Cortland, Tioga counties, and the City of Binghamton is up nearly 35 percent since 2024.

Findings are outlined in a report from the agency that suggests homelessness in the state declined by 7.9 percent between January 2024 and January 2025, driven primarily by a decrease in homelessness in New York City.

In 17 of 25 state regions known as Continuums of Care (CoC), homelessness is on the rise. Data are collected from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Point-in-Time Count of the homeless. In 11 New York regions, including the CoC encompassing Chenango, homelessness grew by more than 10 percent, the highest increase being in Columbia and Greene counties, followed by Troy/Rensselaer County and Schenectady.

Chenango County’s CoC ranks fourth highest on the comptroller’s list.

The comptroller’s report augments efforts of a recent conference in Chenango County that was intended to expand discussions of homelessness in the area. The conference, held at Norwich High School on July 17, united multiple county agencies through seminars and a viewing of a highly regarded documentary on homelessness.

Advocates point to a number of issues that lead to homelessness, and the need for a collaborative solution.

New York State has dedicated more resources to housing. However, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has overhauled the way in which states receive federal funding, shifting away from a “housing first” approach, according to Comptroller DiNapoli.

The comptroller’s report argues that “policies that can mitigate evictions and provide housing assistance, particularly to families with children, should continue to remain a focus of policymakers at federal, state, and local levels.”