Tracy Schmidt

The increase in homelessness is occurring alongside growing housing instability among families and people who had not previously experienced homelessness, alliance leaders said.

Homelessness is not simply someone sleeping outside, said Tracy Schmidt, Director of Community Impact at the Homeless Alliance of Western New York.

Especially in today's economic climate, homelessness is one crisis away for a lot of people.

It can begin when a family's car breaks down the same week the rent is due, when someone's hours at their job are cut back, or when another crisis makes it extremely difficult to remain housed.