(Credit: Luke Mosseau, 2022)
Saratoga Spring Mayor Ron Kim, standing at right, listens to a speaker during a forum on homelessness, June 8, 2022.
Saratoga Springs city officials took the brunt of frustration from a few dozen people during a panel discussion to end homelessness in the city. Held Wednesday evening June 8 at the Saratoga Springs City Center, the program and discussion included non-profit and support organizations who work toward mitigating the homeless crisis in Saratoga Springs, but the people who spoke during the question-and-answer session often directed their anger at Mayor Ron Kim, Deputy Commissioner of Public Safety Jason Tetu, and SSPD Lieutenant Jason Mitchell.
“The Woodlawn garage has become a congregating place for homeless, with trash, furniture, and bedding strewn about everywhere. I empathize with businesses that are affected because this discourages people from parking there," said a Saratogian through a question-and-answer portal set up for the event. "There have been several downtown residents who have discovered drugs and drug paraphernalia in their yards and streets."
Because of the nature of the discussion, many people did not want to use their names in order to speak more freely.
Another person talked about safety for themselves and their vehicle.
“I’ve been yelled at, harassed, called names, had people jump out in front of my car when driving, I could go on,” the person said via the portal. “The situation has gotten out of control and no-one seems to be doing anything about it.”
Rise of Saratoga’s Executive Director Sybil Newell pushed back against the criticism saying the Woodlawn block between Church and Divisions streets, where homeless people gather, has seen progress after strategic interaction.
She represented one of several non-governmental groups who work with the homeless population, including Shelters of Saratoga and The Salvation Army. The Salvation Army's building on Woodlawn sits across the street from the parking garage. The groups work in conjunction with the Saratoga-North Country Continuum of Care, which serves Saratoga, Warren, Washington and Hamilton counties.
“Due to the coordinated outreach efforts of many of the agencies at this table, in conjunction with the police, we had reduced 911 calls by 37%, and we came out to a savings of about $43,000 in police time in that one location alone in 2020 [and] 2021,” Newell said. Rise is a housing and support services organization.
The city cannot merely arrest people and ship them off somewhere else in buses, Lt. Mitchell said. He said SSPD has a number of officers who patrol the area who make non-custodial arrests when needed.
“If there’s an officer available, we will send them,” Mitchell said. “I don’t know if that’s the answer. There are other residents who need our resources as well."
Harassment, public drinking and narcotics use are illegal, and people should call SSPD if they see it, he said.
“Patrolling Woodlawn does take away a lot of resources,” he said, but “it’s not illegal to ask for money.”
The panelists told the audience not to give panhandlers anything.
“When the community pays someone panhandling they are paying them for a service. That 'service' is standing on a corner,” said Duane Vaughn, the executive director of Shelters of Saratoga. “If you keep paying people to stand on a corner, they will stand on a corner.”
The panel remained patient as they listened. And they acknowledged that drug abuse and mental health are some of the leading causes of homelessness, but sheltering those in need, aside from enforcement, is the biggest challenge.
The lack of affordable, low-income housing was an issue, panelists said.
There are currently 280 people on the waitlist for eviction prevention and rapid re-housing, according to Andy Gilpin, executive director of the nonprofit Captain, Community Human Services. Mayor Ron Kim said public discord stopped a proposal for a low-income studio-apartments in the past.
Saratoga Springs Supervisor Tara Gaston asked the public to “show compassion for these people in desperate need, many of whom are veterans.” Roughly half the audience applauded.
Speaking on behalf of Silverwood Home and Gallery on Broadway one man — he did not give a name — said he feels compassion but is also frustrated, saying that the city feels like it has changed.
“When we open our store sometimes we have to step around a homeless person. Now we feel very compassionate, but when we ask them to move oftentimes we’re sworn at. We’re at the whim of how they feel. We have customers who won’t come into our store. We have customers who won’t leave the store because they’re waiting for an escort because they feel unsafe.”
The open-forum format often created disjointed discourse, with multiple audience interruptions, public official rebukes, and lots of murmuring of those voicing dissatisfaction about repetitive answers such as, “Just call the police.” One female resident annoyed by the repetitiveness then turned to the person next to her and whispered: “What a cop out.”
Kim told the audience he was glad to see such a turnout and that people were passionate about the city's well-being. It is the first meeting of this kind, and the city will have more, Kim told the audience. No action plan was established at this meeting.