Owning Manhattan’ Star Jade Shenker Says Homeless New Yorkers Seem ‘Pretty Comfortable’ After Revealing Boyfriend Pays $8K Rent

The luxury real estate agent is facing backlash over an answer she gave during a viral New York City street interview.
Owning Manhattan star Jade Shenker is being criticized after claiming that homeless people living on the streets of New York City appear to be “pretty comfortable.”

The 30-year-old luxury real estate agent made the remark during a street interview posted Friday, July 3, by Ohana NYC, the TikTok account associated with the local housing platform Girls Who Sublet NYC. The video had received more than 14 million views by Tuesday, according to The Independent.

During the interview, Shenker was asked how much she pays in rent. She responded that she personally pays nothing because her boyfriend covers the cost of their apartment, which she estimated to be approximately $8,000 per month.

The interviewer then asked how much money a person needs to earn to live comfortably in New York City.

“I feel like the homeless people on the streets are pretty comfortable,” Shenker answered. “So you don’t have to make anything.”

The contrast between Shenker’s rent-free living arrangement and her comments about people experiencing homelessness quickly sparked outrage online. One TikTok commenter described her response as “so out of touch,” while others questioned whether the exchange was staged or intended as rage bait.

Shenker also discussed her career during the clip, explaining that she works in real estate and “sells buildings.” She reportedly said her earnings could range from approximately $70,000 to $1 million depending on the properties and deals she closes.

Who is Jade Shenker?
Shenker has appeared on Netflix’s Owning Manhattan since the reality series premiered in June 2024. The show follows broker Ryan Serhant and the agents working at his New York City real estate firm.
Netflix describes Shenker as a commercial real estate strategist who has managed more than $650 million in luxury assets. Her official SERHANT. profile says she was raised in a family of real estate developers and has overseen nearly $1 billion in assets during her career.

She returned for the second season of Owning Manhattan, which began streaming on December 5, 2025.

The controversy comes as New York City continues to experience a major housing and homelessness crisis.

The city’s 2026 Homeless Outreach Population Estimate found that approximately 4,991 people were sleeping unsheltered in streets, parks and subway areas on the night of March 10. The survey was delayed from its usual January date because of severe winter weather.

The Coalition for the Homeless estimates that more than 350,000 New Yorkers were without permanent homes in May 2026 when people living in shelters, sleeping outside and staying temporarily with other households are included. Approximately 96,500 people were sleeping in city shelters each night, including more than 30,000 children.

Shenker did not provide further comment when contacted by The Independent. Serhant also did not respond to the publication’s request for comment regarding his employee’s remarks.