Saratoga Springs has allocated $460,000 for RISE to operate the shelter through the end of 2025. RISE has expressed their desire to have funds committed by the City to manage the shelter in 2026. A reasonable request. However, without a commitment very soon RISE has threatened to close the shelter as early as June 3rd. Why June 3rd? One can only surmise that the upcoming Belmont occurs in the same time frame. And June 3rd is several months before the end of the current shelter operating agreement with funding already allocated by the City through the end of 2025. June 3rd is also well before budget season, when these decisions are typically made in a comprehensive process of establishing a spending plan for 2026.
A Daily Gazette Editorial of May 10th stated, “RISE is threatening to jeopardize the health and welfare of 34 Adelphi Shelter users by threatening to put them on the street” and further stated “The homeless shouldn’t be used as pawns in negotiations.”
I couldn’t agree with the Gazette more as this threat is completely transparent as a blatant attempt to force the City Council into a hasty and questionable decision, without the ability to analyze the cost of operating the shelter in relation to the amount of people served as well as the strategy and societal effects of operating a Low Barrier, Wet Shelter. Does the Adelphi Shelter accomplish the goal of helping the City toward a permanent solution to the homeless issue? Monitoring results through the crucial Summer Season in Saratoga should be an important part of the overall analysis. If the shelter closes in June, this opportunity will be lost.
The Saratoga County Board of Supervisors has displayed leadership and a proactive, long range planning solution by investing in constructing a permanent location for a Code Blue Shelter. A permanent location for the Code Blue Shelter to satisfy New York State mandates, will make our program more efficient, cost effective, provide improved visibility regarding the future cost of the program, allow the County to better control fixed costs, avoids the need to work toward establishing a suitable location for the Code Blue Shelter annually and places the County in a very strong position as we will be prepared for the future. Now that the County Board of Supervisors has made this commitment, some are attempting to have the County accept a greater role in the form of a year-round shelter. These discussions have begun in some circles even though the County has not even secured approval from the City to build the shelter. It’s important to note the County engages in many programs to assist people throughout the year, including finding people temporary housing, assisting families who are on the brink of homelessness, drug and alcohol support services and many other initiatives with an estimated total cost of $3.3 million. From my point of view, the County is only interested in operating Shelters and programs that follow New York State guidelines, mandates and regulations. Additionally, I don’t detect support on the County side of the equation to operate a Low Barrier or Wet Shelter. The Code Blue Shelter is in operation to ensure all facilities used to shelter homeless individuals during periods of inclement winter weather are safe, clean, and well-maintained and supervised, as required by State and local laws, regulations, administrative directives, and guidelines including local building and fire codes. We have successfully worked in partnership with Shelters of Saratoga to meet our mandates and goals established by NYS. The Code Blue Shelter is not a Low Barrier or Wet Shelter.
Saratoga County has led and will continue to lead to assist with housing and support programs for all individuals in our County who are in need.
Clifton Park and Beyond 