Compass House by the Numbers

Adam Noonan
6 days ago
2 min read

Every year, Compass House serves more than 500 young people through our shelter, resource center, and outreach efforts — that’s around 20% of Western New York’s homeless youth under age 24, a staggering indicator of the scale of need in our region.

Regional Context

In Erie County and surrounding areas—including Buffalo—the young adult homelessness count (ages 18–24) makes up approximately 8.9% of all homeless individuals, while children under 18 contribute another 20.3%.
In total, there are over 3,000 homeless youth in Western New York at any given time.

Our Impact

Through our Rapid Re‑Housing Program, we have successfully housed 78 clients in the last 12 months. These young people have gained stable housing and the tools needed to thrive in the longer term.
Our shelter provides safe, supportive emergency housing for around 300 youth annually, while our Resource Center welcomes another 300 youth for vital services like counseling, meals, hygiene supplies, and referrals.

Why These Numbers Matter

With an estimated 1 in 10 adults (18–25) and 1 in 30 youth (13–17) experiencing homelessness annually in the U.S. , the fact that 20% of Western New York’s youth population under 24 are served by Compass House underscores both need and trust in our services locally.
Youth experiencing homelessness face high rates of trauma: around 58% have had out-of-home placements or runaways, and up to 50% report physical abuse, with nearly one-third reporting sexual abuse—highlighting why trauma-informed care is core to our approach.
In Erie County, youth clients make up 11% of all households served in the HMIS-system programs—reflecting the significant proportion of youth-focused need across the system.

At a Glance: Key Metrics

Metric	Value
Youth served annually	~500
Rapid Re‑Housing placements (last 12mo)	78
Percent of area youth homelessness served	~20%
Estimated youth experiencing homelessness	~3,000 in Western NY

Looking Ahead

These numbers remind us that Compass House isn’t just one more service provider—we’re a key lifeline for a significant portion of Western New York’s homeless youth. Every young person we serve benefits from shelter, counseling, life skills support, case management, or long-term housing assistance that fosters self-reliance and dignity.

We are proud to serve a community where more than 3,000 young people face the risk and trauma of homelessness—and honored to directly support around 500 of them annually, helping turn vulnerability into stability.

For more information on our services—or to get involved—visit our Resource Center page or reach out to our team. Together, we’re building brighter futures.

📚 Sources

Western New York Coalition for the Homeless – FY2023 Annual Report (Erie County)🔗 https://wnyhomeless.org/app/uploads/FY23-Annual-Report-Erie_Final_Protected.pdf
National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) – Youth Homelessness Overview🔗 https://www.ncsl.org/human-services/youth-homelessness-overview
Coldest Night of the Year (CNOY) – Buffalo Location Page🔗 https://cnoy.com/location/buffalo
Erie County Youth Bureau – Runaway and Homeless Youth (RHY) Coordination🔗 https://www3.erie.gov/youthservices/runaway-and-homeless-youth-rhy-funding-and-coordination
Wikipedia – Homelessness and Mental Health (used for trauma stats)🔗 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homelessness_and_mental_health