Things get worse when she returns to her ugly, noisy, overcrowded apartment.

Many went from their mothers' overcrowded apartments into the city's emergency shelter system.

Older Brother on Drugs "I was living in my mother's overcrowded apartment," she told them.

And given the low population density of even an overcrowded apartment, that is highly unlikely.

They were burned out of their home on Wednesday and spent two days living with his sister-in-law in a small and overcrowded apartment.

"That's why a lot of people live with roommates, or live in overcrowded apartments."

There have been bitter disputes over street vendors, overcrowded apartments and bilingual teaching in the public schools.

"They stay in overcrowded apartments and pay high rents just to plant their feet on the ground here," he said.

They go home to overcrowded apartments, she said, "or maybe somebody's garage, where they pay $100 a month to sleep on a sofa."

Until then, they will continue to sleep on the floor of an overcrowded apartment in Queens.