News 12 Investigation Exposes Hidden Youth Homelessness Crisis Across the New York Tri-State Area

Groundbreaking three-night "Turn to Tara" investigation reveals alarming levels of hunger, unsafe living conditions and a critical gap in how youth homelessness is counted

First-of-its-kind survey conducted in partnership with Covenant House gives homeless young people a voice, as Optimum and News 12 announce $15,000 to support local organizations

From the Turn to Tara team, the limited series begins airing on

Monday, November 9 at 9:30 p.m.

NEW YORK - November 6, 2026 - How many young people are homeless across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and how many are being overlooked?

That question is at the heart of a major new News 12 investigation that takes viewers inside a growing crisis affecting young people across the New York tri-state area, including many whose homelessness goes unrecognized by the public and is not fully captured in official counts.

Homeless Youth in Crisis, a three-night investigative series from News 12's award-winning Turn to Tara team, premieres Monday, November 9, at 9:30 p.m.

Led by senior investigative reporter Tara Rosenblum, the yearlong investigation includes a first-of-its-kind survey conducted in partnership with Covenant House, the largest provider of youth shelter services in the tri-state area. In an unprecedented collaboration, young people experiencing homelessness were given the opportunity to share their experiences directly with the News 12 investigative team, revealing troubling findings about hunger, personal safety, barriers to assistance and the circumstances that forced them from their homes.

Among the investigation's most significant findings: An overwhelming majority of young people surveyed reported going hungry and feeling unsafe while homeless. More than half struggled to find help, while many concealed their homelessness from friends, classmates and even family members.

But the investigation goes well beyond the survey.

Through a year of original reporting, interviews with young people, advocates, service providers and government officials, News 12 examines a critical blind spot in how America measures youth homelessness. Many young people move between friends' couches, temporary accommodations and public transportation rather than traditional shelters. Depending on the counting system, those living arrangements can leave them excluded from official homelessness statistics, potentially affecting the resources available to help them.

The series also follows young people struggling to stay in school, find permanent housing and rebuild their lives, while examining the effectiveness of government programs and New York's ambitious commitment to reduce child poverty by half by 2031.

"Youth homelessness in the New York tri-state area is too often unseen, leaving young people to navigate hunger, unsafe conditions and instability without knowing where to turn for help," said Audrey Gruber, Senior Vice President and General Manager of News 12. "Through this deeply reported series, the Turn to Tara team is centering their voices, bringing greater visibility to the challenges they face and helping connect our local communities with the information and resources needed to make a difference."

November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month, and Optimum, together with News 12, an Optimum company, is building on its commitment to supporting the communities it serves by donating $15,000 to organizations serving young people experiencing homelessness across the New York tri-state area, including to Covenant House and New Ground on Long Island. The support responds to the survey findings and the urgent needs facing young people in local communities throughout the region.

For Covenant House, the collaboration offered an unusual opportunity for young people experiencing homelessness to help shape the reporting itself.

"Too often, stories about youth homelessness are told about young people instead of with them. We are deeply grateful to News 12 for changing that and shining a light on youth homelessness across the NYC tri-state area. For this first-of-its-kind project, 100 young people at Covenant House shared their experiences and perspectives, helping shape how this story is told. Their voices are not simply part of the story; they are central to it," said Dr. Shakeema North-Albert, CEO of Covenant House New York. "Young people at Covenant House were given the agency to speak for themselves, on their own terms. They spoke candidly about safety, housing, family, mental health, trust, and their hopes for the future. When we truly listen to young people, we challenge assumptions, deepen understanding, and create the possibility for meaningful change."

Homeless Youth in Crisis airs November 9, 10 and 11 at 9:30 p.m. on News 12, News 12 New York, the News 12 YouTube channel and in2 TV.

Episode Details

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 9 | KIDS WITHOUT KEYS

The series opens with an investigation into the scope of youth homelessness across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, and why so many young people are missing from key government statistics. With rare access inside shelters, firsthand accounts from young people experiencing homelessness and interviews with those on the front lines, News 12 reveals how couch surfing and other temporary living arrangements can leave young people overlooked in official counts, raising questions about whether government resources reflect the true scale of the crisis.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10 | THE MISSING VOICES

In an unprecedented partnership with Covenant House, the region's largest youth shelter provider, News 12 turns the microphone over to young people experiencing homelessness. A groundbreaking survey reveals alarming levels of hunger, fear and isolation, along with the barriers preventing young people from getting help. The investigation uncovers the circumstances that drove them from their homes, why many hide their homelessness and, perhaps most importantly, what they say could have prevented it. Their answers offer a rare first-hand look at the failures of existing support systems and potential solutions.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 | A PROMISE AT RISK

New York pledged to cut child poverty in half by 2031. But with the state approaching the halfway point of that commitment, is it on track to deliver? News 12 puts that promise under the microscope, examining the progress made and uncovering turnover and attendance concerns involving the state advisory council charged with developing a plan to achieve the goal. As advocates and council members raise concerns about whether the target can be met, the investigation examines what's standing in the way and what the consequences could be for children and families still struggling to find stable housing.