Brooklyn Life

Brooklyn Has More Severely Crowded Homes Than Any Other Borough

Brooklyn has the highest number of households living in crowded or severely crowded conditions of any NYC borough, according to a report just released by the City Comptroller’s Office. Data used in the study — gleaned from the U.S. Census Bureau’s yearly American Community Survey — showed that nearly 1.5 million New Yorkers are currently living in a crowded…

by Barbara Eldredge

10/05/2015 3 minute 1

Brooklyn has the highest number of households living in crowded or severely crowded conditions of any NYC borough, according to a report just released by the City Comptroller’s Office.

Data used in the study — gleaned from the U.S. Census Bureau’s yearly American Community Survey — showed that nearly 1.5 million New Yorkers are currently living in a crowded or severely crowded home.

A crowded home has more than one person per room, and a severely crowded home has more than 1.5 persons per room. Crowding is often linked to increased health risks — more people in less space means that viruses and diseases spread faster — and residents of crowded dwellings are more likely to experience emotional distress, live with fire hazards, and become homeless.

In 2005, the total number of Brooklyn’s crowded homes was 70,323. By 2013, that number increased by a staggering 34.9 percent — to a total of 94,844. The proportion of crowded dwellings in Brooklyn (the number of crowded homes relative to the total number of homes) also rose the most over the studied period — by 28.1 percent.

Brooklyn is the city’s most populous borough, and also home to several thriving immigrant populations. The study found a significant correlation between foreign-born residents and overcrowding: In 67.6 percent of severely crowded dwellings, the “head of the household” is foreign born.

The new report cited the city’s dearth of affordable housing stock as one element to blame for the increase in crowding. The proportion of studio apartments with three or more occupants rose by over 365 percent city wide from 2005-13. While citywide median rents increased on average by 12.8 percent from 2005-13, incomes increased by a mere 2.7 percent.

[Source: NYC Comptroller]